For half a year, a 48-year-old man from Kyrgyzstan endured a daily nightmare as a small facial swelling ballooned into a massive, life-threatening tumour. His journey for survival culminated in New Delhi, where a team of surgical oncologists performed a marathon operation to remove the extraordinary 4.5-kilogram growth.
A Monstrous Growth and a Race Against Time
The patient watched in horror as the tumour on the right side of his face grew rapidly over three months. By the time he travelled to Fortis Escorts Hospital in Okhla, Delhi, the mass measured a staggering 19 x 18 centimetres. It had engulfed his cheek, jaw, and neck. The tumour was an extremely rare extra-skeletal osteosarcoma, a type of soft-tissue cancer with fewer than 100 cases reported worldwide. Its occurrence in the face and neck is almost unheard of.
The situation was critical. The growth was foul-smelling, severely infected, and so heavy the man had to constantly support it with his hands. During his flight to India, airline staff had to seat him separately due to the odour. Most dangerously, the tumour was perilously close to major blood vessels. Doctors warned that a rupture could cause fatal bleeding within minutes, putting him at imminent risk of death.
The High-Stakes Surgical Marathon
Faced with this complex challenge, a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Archit Pandit, Director and HOD of Surgical Oncology, along with Dr Vineet Goel and Dr Kushal Bairoliya, planned a high-risk operation. The surgery lasted over 10 hours. The team meticulously removed the gigantic tumour along with the affected surrounding skin, salivary gland, facial muscles, and lymph nodes.
The next phase was reconstruction. To rebuild half of the patient's face, surgeons used a skin-and-muscle flap harvested from his back. This procedure required exceptional microvascular precision to ensure blood supply to the new tissue. Dr Archit Pandit stated that this was one of the largest head-and-neck soft-tissue sarcomas ever excised. He emphasised the team's coordinated effort to navigate the tumour's infected state and its dangerous proximity to critical vessels.
A Second Chance at Life and a Showcase of Indian Medical Expertise
In a remarkable recovery, the patient was discharged just six days after the massive surgery, calling it his "second chance at life." This case stands as a testament to advanced surgical capabilities available in India.
Dr Vikram Aggarwal, Vice President and Facility Head at Fortis Escorts, highlighted the global significance of the procedure. He noted that the successful outcome offers hope to international patients seeking high-end, life-saving oncology care and underscores the hospital's commitment to precision surgery. This operation not only saved a life but also reinforced India's position as a destination for world-class medical treatment.
