"I Thought It Was Belly Fat"... But It Turned Out to Be a 40cm Tumor

Italian Woman in Her 50s with Giant Ovarian Tumor
Major Surgery Lasting 6 Hours and 30 Minutes... Currently Recovering Health

An Italian woman recently discovered a massive 40cm tumor that she had simply mistaken for belly fat and underwent major surgery.

On the 3rd (local time), the British Daily Mail introduced the case of a 52-year-old Italian woman recently published in the international academic journal 'American Journal of Case Reports.'

The woman had frequently experienced abnormal health symptoms over the past 10 years. She suffered from acid and bile reflux, abdominal bloating, walking difficulties, and shortness of breath, and felt severe fullness even after eating a small amount. Notably, her abdomen was abnormally swollen, and her weight reportedly reached 123kg.

Medical staff performing surgery (not directly related to the article content)

Eventually, upon visiting the hospital and undergoing an obstetric ultrasound examination, a huge ovarian cyst was found in her abdominal cavity. The cyst filling her right ovary measured an astonishing 44cm vertically and 35cm horizontally. This massive ovarian cyst was pressing against her intestines and retroperitoneum.

An ovarian cyst refers to a fluid-filled sac in the ovary, which produces female hormones. Generally, most cysts resolve naturally without treatment, but sometimes they grow larger than 10cm, causing abdominal bloating and pain. If the cyst ruptures inside the abdomen, severe pain in the back or lower abdomen can occur, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, and dizziness.

The woman in the reported case underwent major surgery lasting 6 hours and 30 minutes to remove the cyst. The medical team drained about 37 liters of fluid from inside the cyst and removed tissues adhered to the organs. They also performed surgery to reduce the enlarged abdominal cavity and reconstruct the abdominal wall. During this process, the patient experienced excessive bleeding and required a blood transfusion, the medical staff explained.

Even after the surgery, the woman had to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit for two months. During this period, she faced several critical moments, including cardiac arrest and acute renal failure. Fortunately, she overcame all these crises and was safely discharged.

According to the medical team, the woman’s body mass index (BMI) decreased from 50.5 before surgery to 28.3 afterward. She is currently treated for all related conditions and has fully recovered her health.

The medical staff reporting the case diagnosed the delayed treatment as due to poor economic conditions and low educational level, pointing out the current situation where medical welfare does not reach a broader social class.

Mitchell Piretti, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of Cagliari Medical School in Italy, explained, "The delayed diagnosis was probably because of her low socioeconomic and educational status. The patient thought she was simply obese and did not realize she needed medical help."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.