Kochi doctors remove 14 kg mass from man’s thigh

The 46-year-old man was suffering from lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) for nearly three decades.

Kochi doctors has removed a 14 kg mass from a man’s thigh who was suffering from elephantiasis for nearly three decades.

The patient will need further reduction surgery on both the legs after six-nine months, and then he will be able to lead a normal life, a doctor said. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Saidalavi, 46, from Thrissur district, was suffering from lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) for three decades and was bedridden for two years. He underwent a couple of surgeries over the years, but to no avail, as the swelling kept increasing.

He underwent a five-hour surgery at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi recently following which the deformity was removed.

“It was a complex surgery. Several complications could rise because of the patient being overweight and his inability to walk,” said Dr Subramania Iyer, head of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences.

Among the problems the doctors faced was the patient’s physical transfer to the operating table and correct positioning during surgery as it required meticulous planning.

The patient will need further reduction surgery on both the legs after six-nine months, and then he will be able to lead a normal life, Iyer said.