A male patient sought medical attention at a hospital with a tumor in his neck the size of a human head, after neglecting treatment for nearly 20 years due to his belief that it would resolve on its own.
Medical professionals at the Kirov Regional Clinical Hospital in Russia were surprised when the 65-year-old man revealed that he had attempted to address the head-sized tumor with ointments instead of consulting doctors, leading to him enduring the weight of the growth on his neck for 16 years.
The tumor was identified by doctors as a lipoma, a benign fatty lump situated between the skin and muscle layer. Lipomas are typically painless and non-threatening if treated. They commonly develop on the back, shoulders, chest, arms, and thighs but can emerge anywhere on the body.
Igor Popyrin, the head of the surgical department, explained to local media that lipomas usually grow slowly and uncomfortably, causing many patients to delay seeking specialized care in hopes that the growth will disappear independently. Lipomas can be triggered by metabolic imbalances, genetic factors, or blockage of sebaceous glands.
Popyrin cautioned against the misconception that lipomas vanish naturally, emphasizing that surgery is the sole effective remedy. Delayed treatment can potentially lead to malignancy or compression of adjacent tissues, underscoring the importance of early intervention.
Citing information from the Mayo Clinic, lipomas typically maintain a soft, spongy texture and range between one to two inches in size, but they can expand further and exhibit unusual growth patterns in certain instances.
During the surgical procedure, surgeons meticulously removed the cluster of smaller tumors encircling blood vessels and nerves with precision. Due to the massive size of the tumor, the patient had to be positioned on his side throughout the operation as lying on his back was unfeasible.
Doctors had to estimate and demarcate the boundaries of the man’s neck before excising the tumor, ensuring it did not infiltrate neighboring tissues. The hospital highlighted that the successfully removed lipoma, the size of a 3-liter container, was the largest tumor ever extracted through surgery. The patient survived the extensive operation and is currently recuperating.
In a separate incident this year, a man had a large five-inch ‘devil’s horn’ removed from the back of his head after enduring three years of excruciating pain. The patient, aged 30, underwent surgery under general anesthesia to eliminate the sizable growth, providing him with relief and a renewed sense of freedom.
Vascular surgeon Ruzil Khurmatullin performed the operation to eradicate the corneal keratoma growth under general anesthesia, marking the first time such a procedure had been conducted in his twenty-five-year career as a surgeon.