Docs remove 10 kg fibroid from woman’s stomach

In a challenging surgery, city doctors removed a 10-kilo fibroid from a 42-year-old woman’s stomach, while managing to retain her ovaries.

This would give the woman her wish of trying for a baby.

Doctors at the Manipal Hospitals’ gynecology clinic initially thought that the Omani woman was heavily pregnant when they first checked her and were shocked to discover that she was carrying the fibroid over 15 years in the fear of losing her uterus.

The woman has been married for 10 years and wanted to conserve her ovaries to try conceiving a baby. “Typically, a fibroid of that size would result in the removal of the uterus,” said Dr Meena, Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manipal Hospitals.

The fibroid weighed about 10.08 kilos and at least 15 more fibroids needed to be removed, the doctor added. Doctors had to perform conservative surgery that proved to be a challenge in the woman’s case.

During the surgery, the woman lost nearly five litres of blood –almost the full content of her body – and had to be given six units.

The woman’s husband was firm about conserving the uterus with the hope of having a baby. The couple visited several hospitals, where doctors told her that the uterus had to be removed.

“Initially, the patient thought that she’d conceive with the fibroids,” Dr Meena said. “But it grew over the years. When she came here, she appeared like a full-term pregnant woman. Even a fully grown baby would weigh only three kilos. This was much larger.”

The patient was aware of the fibroids for 15 years but thought it would not complicate her condition. Doctors said a woman over 40 with such a large fibroid must have a hysterectomy.

“She still stands a chance of pregnancy, but it depends on how her ovaries function,” Dr Meena said. “Her fibroid was in an umbrella-like position above her ovaries. The fibroids were removed by retaining the ovaries.”