16.7 kg "Gunny Bag" Tumour Removed From Man's Back In 10-Hour Op At Gurgaon Hospital

A massive tumour weighing 16.7 kg and "hanging like a gunny bag" on the back of a 27-year-old man was successfully removed in a 10-hour complex surgery.

The patient, who is from the Pacific Islands, has been carrying a non-cancerous tumour the size of 58x50 cm since 2008, said the doctors at Gurugram's Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI).

"Giant neurofibroma is a type of peripheral nerve tumour that forms soft bumps on or under the skin which can grow to a very large size gradually over a longer period," said Niranjan Naik, senior director of surgical oncology, FMRI.

Genetic abnormalities lead to such tumours, “which can hamper the quality of life of the patient by restricting mobility, causing cosmetic disfigurement, discomfort or pain and occasionally heavy bleeding due to bed sore formation”, the doctor said.

Due to the high risk associated with the tumour's size and the complexity of the case, the young patient was denied surgery at several hospitals across different countries.

Dr Naik explained that “these tumours are very vascular in nature, containing large pools of blood in most areas.” Thus, it can raise a “high risk of uncontrollable bleeding” during surgery, he said.

To mitigate this risk, the team initiated the treatment with two procedures that blocked 11 significant blood vessels.

The tumour had multiple large arterial and venous channels, and covered the patient's entire back, "exposing approximately 18 per cent of the body surface as a raw area", Dr Naik said.

To cover this area post-surgery, the doctors used a skin graft from the tumour, as it was non-cancerous, instead of his thighs.

"This innovative approach allowed for the successful coverage of the patient's entire back," in a procedure that lasted 10 hours.

"The patient was discharged in just four days in a stable condition," the doctors said, adding that "the patient is disease-free now and will have a good long-term survival."

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