Mumbai: In a rare incident, doctors at the government-run St George’s Hospital in Mumbai successfully removed a massive 10.4 kg ovarian tumour from a 40-year-old woman in critical condition. The patient, Meena Raoji Solanki, a resident of the Crawford Market area, weighed just 20 kg, excluding the tumour at the time of admission and was severely malnourished.
Meena had been in pain for more than a year and a half after she accidentally hit her stomach on a table. The pain didn’t go away and kept getting worse. "It started with mild pain, but I kept ignoring it," as reported by Hindustan Times. Over time, her abdomen began swelling abnormally, her menstrual cycle stopped at 36, and her weight dropped drastically. "It felt like I was carrying six or seven babies inside me. Neighbours were scared to even look at me," she mentioned.
According to report, the condition was getting worse day by day especially in May, when she developed severe mouth ulcers, could not eat, and vomited continuously for eight days. Unmarried and dependent on local doctors for temporary relief, she was finally brought to St George’s Hospital by her brother with help from a social worker.
Scans revealed a massive tumour occupying almost her entire abdominal cavity. The growth had adhered to major organs, including the liver, spleen, and intestines, causing extreme breathing difficulty, according to the report. Because Meena was very weak and underweight, the surgery was very risky. Despite the odds, doctors performed a successful operation, carefully removing the 10.4 kg tumour without complications.
A team of specialists, including oncologist doctor Dr. Koresh, women’s health expert Dr. Shubhangi, and anaesthesia doctors Dr. Pournima Sonkamble and Dr. Ruchi, performed the four-hour surgery. After the operation, Meena was kept in the ICU for careful observation and later moved to the general ward. She is now on a high-protein diet and is slowly getting back her strength and ability to move around.
