A woman who underwent an operation to remove a massive seven-stone tumour from her stomach has sadly died 11 days after the surgery.
The 45-year-old patient was operated on at the Hospital São José do Avaí in the municipality of Itaperuna in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro on 31 August.
The patient was 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 23.6 stone.
She was admitted to hospital with shortness of breath, apparently caused by the seven stone tumour, and the medical team decided to remove it immediately.
Dr Glaucio Boechat, who carried out the two-hour operation with around a dozen colleagues, said after the operation that it had been a big challenge.
“It was the biggest tumour I have operated on and certainly one of the biggest that anyone has ever removed," he said.
“It is not every day you operate on a tumour of that size! There were about 13 or 14 people in the operating theatre. The whole hospital mobilised to perform the procedure for the patient.”
Dr Boechat, who has over 20 years’ experience, said the patient, who came from the state of Minas Gerais and lived in Itaperuna until her death, had probably been living with the tumour for around five years.
And following her death he made a warning about the importance of an early diagnosis when treating tumours.
On 12 September, the doctor said in a statement: “With great regret, I inform you that the patient who underwent surgery to remove a 46kg tumour has died 11 days after an emergency surgical intervention performed by our medical team.
“The patient was recovering satisfactorily after the procedure, however, due to a cardiorespiratory arrest this Sunday afternoon (11 September), she has died.
“Of paramount importance, never neglect any symptom. At the first sign, seek medical help, aim for an early diagnosis and allow the professionals to seek interventions while there is still time in the evolutionary process of the disease.”
The woman had been scheduled to be discharged on 12 September, the day after her sudden death.
