Big tumour removed from girl’s ovaries

Growth had taken over patient’s right ovary and was causing her a lot of pain in the lower abdomen

Alarge tumour growing in the ovaries of a nineyear-old Egyptian girl has been successfully removed by surgeons at a private hospital in the capital.

The patient reported to Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi complaining of a lot of pain in her lower abdomen. Diagnostic tests revealed a mass measuring 12x10 centimetres on her right ovary.

“It was a complicated situation. The tumour was growing into her pelvis and literally replacing the tissues in her ovary as it grew, and the pain was preventing her from living a normal life. But removing this aggressive tumour also meant the removal of her right ovary completely,” explained Dr Amin Al Gohary, consultant for paediatric surgery at the hospital.

“The child’s life and heath was our top priority, and the parents therefore agreed to the removal of her ovary,” Dr Al Gohary told Gulf News.

The two-hour procedure, which was done laparoscopically, was also challenging for the surgical team.

“A large incision was required to remove a tumour of this size. We also informed the patient’s parents that we might have to opt for an open surgery if a laparoscopic procedure was not successful at removing the mass entirely,” the surgeon explained.

Procedure

The two-hour procedure saw the right ovary and the growth being excised. The surgical team then removed the mass through by placing it in a bag, cut it into small pieces, and removed the bag through a number of incisions near her belly button. The procedure did not affect her left ovary, leaving her fertility intact, the doctor confirmed.

The patient recovered well, and was then discharged after a week. According to her parents, she was able to live an active life following the surgery.