Woman, 40, Who Looked Heavily Pregnant For 7 Years Has World's Largest Ever Uterine Tumour

• Doctors in Guatemala operated on patient with a 137cm circumference stomach

• Woman went to medics 7 years ago but refused treatment for 'cultural reasons'

• Mass diagnosed as a fibroid - a benign growth that develops in or around womb

• Previous biggest was Indian woman's 30Ib growth the size of a watermelon

A woman in Guatemala had a tumour growing in her uterus for seven years before it was removed - weighing an incredible 70lbs (32kg).

Doctors in the Central American country performed a complex but successful operation on the 40-year-old.

The patient went to hospital with the huge abdominal mass - which made her look pregnant with multiple babies - and gave her stomach a staggering circumference of 137cm.

The woman, who is not named, was diagnosed with a leiomyoma, also known as fibroids - a benign tumour that very rarely becomes cancer.

However, despite being diagnosed with the problem seven years ago she previously declined treatment due to cultural reasons.

A medical student posted the pictures onto website Figure 1, which allows healthcare professionals to post anonymous patient cases.



A registered nurse commented: 'My mouth dropped open and stayed that way for quite a while once I swiped to the second picture! Speechless! The human body is so amazing.'

The heaviest fibroid recorded weighed 66 lb 2 oz (30 kg) according to the Guinness World Records.

It belonged to Mrs Mahadevamma and was removed by a surgical team led by Dr Pushpanjali Malipatil at the Rajiv Gandhi Superspeciality Hospital in Raichur, Karnataka, India in December 2005.

She wrote: 'This patient was seen seven years ago and was offered surgical treatment, but because of personal and cultural background, she refused treatment.'



She added that these were 'problems we face on a daily basis with patients from the rural areas of our country'.

According to the student, the patient made a full recovery.

'No further surgical interventions were required, but she did go to ICU post op for about 3 days and required multiple blood transfusions,' she posted.

'She responded better than expected and was discharged sixth day post op.'

Users of the site reacted with awe.

A sonographer said: 'Since it's a leiomyoma, if she didn't have a hysterectomy, it might grow back.

'If she was postmenopausal, there's less chance of her growing another since they are sensitive to hormones.'


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