This massive tumour was in a UAE woman's belly

Dubai: Surgeons at Latifa Hospital successfully removed a 17.5kg tumour from a woman’s abdomen – the largest ever seen at the hospital.

Dr Amal Al Qedrah, head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Latifa Hospital in Dubai, said the patient was an Emirati woman in her 40s.

Dr Amal said that the patient’s condition was not only a rare case in the UAE but also around the world.

“The swelling of the tumour jeopardised the health of the patient and almost killed her. The complications of the disease put pressure on various functions of the body, affecting the lungs, which made breathing very difficult,” Dr Amal told the Arabic daily Al Bayan.

Dr Amal explained that the patient was admitted to the emergency department on Friday evening, complaining of severe abdominal pain.

“The patient’s pulse was very high, and her haemoglobin decreased to seven,” she said.

“A team of doctors decided to immediately carry out the operation, and after gaining approval from family members, removed the uterus and ovaries as well.

The surgery lasted for three hours under full anaesthesia.