Kolkata: A 40-year-old woman, Sahazadi Khatoon, from Taltala, underwent a six-hour surgery at NRS Medical College after doctors removed an abdominal tumor the size of a beachball. A biopsy revealed the mass as Myxoid Liposarcoma, a rare malignant cancer. She returned home from the hospital on Saturday.
High-Risk Surgery Details
Doctors said the sheer size of the lesion made it an incredibly high-risk case, with the surgical team navigating a 'minefield' of major blood vessels and vital organs to remove the mass. "The tumor was abutting the body's largest vessels, requiring extreme precision to ensure no catastrophic bleeding occurred," said a surgeon.
The massive abdominal mass measured 36.5 × 30.7 × 16.3 cm, following 18 months of progressive abdominal swelling that left Khatoon in critical condition earlier this year. Her condition worsened from mild discomfort in late 2024 to a medical emergency, with severe respiratory distress and a rigid, distended abdomen.
Previous Diagnosis and Complications
The patient previously underwent a diagnostic laparotomy in July 2025 at Calcutta National Medical College, where initial findings suggested a benign myxoid neurofibroma. However, the growth could not be removed due to its complexity, and it continued to enlarge aggressively. An MRI conducted on February 27, 2026, showed the cystic lesion displacing bowel loops and exerting pressure on the aorta, kidneys, and pancreas.
Surgical Team and Post-Operative Care
The surgery on April 20 was led by Debasis Ray and Anirban Das (assistant professor), supported by the anesthesia team of Dipankar Mukherjee and Enakshi Saha. The patient remained on a ventilator for 48 hours. Doctors said she later developed a 'burst abdomen,' in which the surgical incision reopened, and she was taken back to the operating room on May 4. Her recovery was managed with multiple blood transfusions, albumin infusions, and intensive supportive care.
