Danbury Hospital Removes 132-Pound Tumor from Woman

(Editor's Note: This story includes photos that some may find graphic. They are photos of an actual medical procedure that helped save a woman's life.)

DANBURY, CT — A team of surgeons, physicians, and medical staff at Danbury Hospital removed a 132-pound tumor from a woman in February. The ovarian tumor, one of the largest ever reported, was removed in a five-hour lifesaving surgical procedure. The woman is now home after spending two weeks in the hospital, and is expected to make a complete recovery.

Dr. Vaagn Andikyan, a gynecologic oncologist at Danbury Hospital, led the efforts. The surgeon assembled a team of 20 physicians and set them through various practice scenarios in the two-week run-up to the surgery, as there was no data on the procedure of the type they were planning.

The benign tumor was discovered after the woman, 38, reported a rapid weight gain of around 10 pounds a week for two months. She underwent a CT scan which revealed a large ovarian mass, according to a news release from Western Connecticut Health Network. Before surgery, she was malnourished and could get around only with the aid of a wheelchair.

Doctors expect her to return to a normal weight.

Above: After the tumor was removed. Top: The tumor before surgery.

Photos courtesy Western Connecticut Medical Group