OVER 18:SENSETIVE PICTURE : US doctors to remove 15-pound tumor from Vietnamese gir

[SysTaMatIcS]

US doctors are due to remove from a Vietnamese girl a 15-pound (seven-kilo) tumor thought to be one of the largest of its kind on record.

The gigantic tumor, which began to grow in 15-year-old Dao Thi Lai when she was just three, covers a large part of her face and neck and threatens to make her blind and block her throat, according to doctors at the University of Miami doctors who will oversee the surgery.


The young girl arrived in the United States with her mother in hopes of ridding herself of the growth that has already severely deformed her face and put her life at risk.
"Schwannoma tumors are not highly uncommon. However, the size of Lai's tumor is extremely rare and is possibly the largest ever reported," said Jesus Gomez, oral and maxillofacial surgeon at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, where the surgery is scheduled for April 29.
Schwannoma tumors, which are tissue growths which cover nerves, are usually not cancerous and once removed rarely return, according to medical experts.

But "without surgery, Lai faces a life journey that will unfortunately end too soon because the rapid growth of the tumor will eventually impair her ability to breathe," Gomez said.
Lai was forced to drop out of school, and these days can only perform minor tasks. Even everyday activities such as eating, drinking, sleeping and walking have become difficult.
Her plight in Vietnam caught the attention of the International Kids Fund (IKF), which launched a fundraising campaign to cover the 107,000 dollars in expected costs for the operation in the United States.

[FriendOfZeus]

Poor girl , i hope she gets out fine and gets rid of that hideous tumor.

[abousoun]

Doctors from Miami have removed a 15-pound (seven-kilo) facial tumor from a 15-year-old Vietnamese girl (May 5th 2008)

Lai Thi Dao, or Dao Thi Lai as she is known by the international media, underwent a 12-hour surgery on Tuesday to remove the Schwannoma tumor, one of the largest of its kind, according to doctors at the University of Miami’s Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

“Lai responded very well to surgery and the outcome is better than expected,” Miami Herald quoted Dr. Jesus Gomez and Dr. Robert Marx, oral and maxillofacial surgeons of the university as saying.
“We are very optimistic and look forward to sharing more news on her progress as she recovers.”

The doctors said there was little chance the tumor would return.
Beginning from a small lump when Lai was three, the huge tumor covered a large part of her face and neck, threatening to make her blind and block her throat.

The Schwannoma tumor, or tissue growths covering nerves, was not uncommon and usually not cancerous, yet cases of that size were extremely rare, AFP quoted a doctor as saying last week.
Due to the tumor, Lai had to drop out of school and could hardly perform daily activities like eating, drinking, sleeping and walking.
Her body also could not grow normally as the nutrients were absorbed by the huge mass.

Lai’s plight caught the attention of the International Kids Fund (IKF), which has launched a fundraising campaign to cover the expected US$107,000 costs for the operation.
Lai said she hoped to attend school once she recovered and returned to Vietnam.

Thank You ...

[MARX ®]

i got scared of the picture
poor her...
nshalla she gets well soon