Delhi Doctors Remove World's Largest Fibroid

Kounteya Sinha, Oct 27, 2010, 12.50am IST




NEW DELHI: It weighed equal to two full term babies. Doctors in Delhi have successfully removed a 6.5-kg fibroid, probably the world's largest, from inside a 32-year-old-woman, through laproscopy.

Roopa Sharma (name changed on request) had a bloated stomach and abdomen for the past three years. A subsequent check-up at Jeewan Mala Hospital revealed that she had a very large and hardened fibroid occupying the entire abdomen.

Intra-operatively, the doctors found two huge fibroids — the first was attached to the uterus extending right up
to the diaphragm while the other was attached to the posterior wall of the uterus and occupied the entire pelvis region.

Interestingly, according to Dr Malvika Sabharwal who headed the team which removed the fibroid, Roopa's uterus has been saved, a major feat considering the tumour was removed through the uterus. Roopa will therefore be able to conceive a baby in future.

According to Dr Sabharwal, Medline search, one of the largest database companies for gynaecology, did a worldwide search only to find out that a 3.4-kg fibroid has been the largest reported laproscopic fibroid removal so far.

The past documented record in the Guinness Book and Limca Book of world records has also been of 3.4kg.

"We extracted the tumour from the abdomen. Not to jeopardize the uterus while extracting such a large tumour is a major feat. The main challenge was to remove the fibroid without injuring the uterus," Dr Sabharwal said.

"On examination, a 36-week (up till the chest) mass was found which was very hard and immobile. Ultrasound showed two fibroids, one more than 250mms in size and the other 103X103mms in size. We planned a laproscopic myomectomy and she was operated on October 25," Dr Sabharwal said.

The team of experts inserted a 5-mm telescope and 5-mm laproscopic instruments. "Both the fibroids were removed and the uterus was saved for future fertility. This entire procedure took four excruciating hours. After the surgery, the weight of the fibroids was found to be 6.5 kilos which is more than the size of two full term babies," doctors said.