A man whose tumour was so large he looked like he had two heads has had the growth removed after it grew for 15 years.
The unnamed 39-year-old, from India, finally went to hospital after deciding he couldn’t live with the neck pain and difficulty sleeping any longer.
Jam Press/Rare Shot NewsA 39-year-old man’s tumour was so large he looked like he had two heads[/caption]
Jam Press/Rare Shot NewsHe had it removed in a complex operation after it grew for 15 years[/caption]
The growth was also causing him anxiety, depression and numbness in his hands, and was affecting his ability to walk.
Stunned medics found the mass measured about 20cm by 15cm by 15cm.
The man told them it first appeared as a small lump when he was a young man, aged 24.
Over the years, it grew and grew in size, until it ended up nearly the same size as his head.
The doctors in Jodhpur, India, diagnosed him with a mesenchymal tumour.
Mesenchymal tumours are growths that occur in the mesenchymal tissues — which include fibroblasts, nerve cells, blood vessel cells and muscle cells — around the body.
Most are benign but some can be cancerous or cause serious problems, including pain and problems with breathing.
Scientists are not sure what causes them exactly, although research suggests mutations in DNA can make them more likely.
Surgery is generally used to treat benign tumours, although doctors may opt against it if the tumour is not causing any issues or discomfort.
The man’s tumour was so large that it had begun to damage the outer part of his skull and was now reaching the inner bone.
BONE DAMAGE
The pressure of the mass had also destroyed up to 4cm of the bone at the base of his skill.
It presented a challenge for the surgeons because of the nearby blood vessels and the brain.
One wrong move with the scalpel could have proved fatal.
But the surgical team, led by Dr Dinesh Dutt Sharma, of Bluecity Jodhpur, successfully removed the tumour in a complex operation.
Pictures show how the patient looked after the back of his head was stitched up and surgeons said he has made a full recovery.
What are mesenchymal tumours?
Mesenchymal tumors originate from cells including fibroblasts, nerve cells, blood vessel cells and muscle cells.
They are also called soft tissue tumors and connective tissue tumors.
Any organ can develop a mesenchymal tumor with a different incidence rate.
Interestingly, connective tissue tumors are higher in cats and dogs.
The malignant mesenchymal tumours are aggressive as the cells have a higher ability to differentiate.
Malignant soft tissue tumours are addressed with the “sarcoma” suffix.
Source: iCliniq