Doctors remove 90kg tumour from Vietnamese man

Doctors on Thursday removed a 90-kilogram tumour from a Vietnamese man's leg, medical staff and his family said.

Plastic surgeon McKay McKinnon and six Vietnamese doctors started the operation to remove Nguyen Duy Hai's tumour at French-Vietnam (FV) Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City at 0100 GMT, according to Hai's brother, Nguyen Duy Sang. It took about 13 hours to remove it.

"Doctors told my family the surgery has ended successfully at around 9 pm (1400 GM) and the tumour has been removed completely from my brother's leg," said Sang. "However, doctors said nothing could be sure about his health now, and told us to wait until my brother regains consciousness."

The patient is likely to regain consciousness on Friday morning, but vital organs, such as his heart and lungs, would take at least seven days to resume ordinary operation, doctors said.

The metre-wide tumour has been growing on the 32-year-old man's right leg for more than 30 years, despite an amputation at the knee 14 years ago. It has grown 10 centimetres in diameter over the past month and from 80 to more than 90 kilogrammes, doctors said.

Gerard Desvignes, the hospital's medical director, who was monitoring the operation, said the surgery was risky. He put the chance of success at 50 percent. The patient was happy to proceed with the removal nonetheless.

"My son has carried the tumour for a dozen years," said the patient's mother. "Whether the surgery is successful or not, my son and my family accept it happily."

The growth has twisted Hai's spine and pelvis and caused problems with his breathing and circulation.

McKinnon has conducted several operations to remove large tumours, which have received widespread media coverage in recent years.

The estimated fee of the surgery was 20 000 dollars, which will be covered by donations, the hospital said. McKinnon has waived his fee for Hai's surgery.

The US television channel MorningStar Entertainment broadcasted the surgery live. Doctors at FV hospital watched the operation via closed circuit television.