Hyderabad: 50 kgs of lymphatic tissue removed from a girl from Somalia

Surgeons at Medicover Hospitals, Hitec City, on Tuesday announced successful treatment of 18-year-old-girl from Somalia, by surgically removing 50 kg of lymphatic tissue that over the years accumulated in her left leg.

Hyderabad: Surgeons at Medicover Hospitals, Hitec City, on Tuesday announced successful treatment of 18-year-old-girl from Somalia, by surgically removing 50 kg of lymphatic tissue that over the years accumulated in her left leg, a medical condition known as Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa (elephant leg).

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is a rare and disfiguring medical condition characterized by the progressive enlargement and thickening of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, typically affecting the lower extremities. As a result, the young girl’s left leg was severely swollen, warty and had become a heavy burden, affecting her lifestyle.

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The surgery was implemented by vascular surgical team led by Dr. Syed Mohammed Ali Ahmed and the plastic surgery team led by Dr. Madhu Vinay and Anesthesia team led by Dr. Venugopal.

The patient underwent a procedure known as lymphovenous anastomosis, which involved debulking followed by skin grafting. A total of over 50 kg of lymphatic tissues were surgically extracted from a single leg in a surgery that took 20-hours to complete.