9 hours of free surgery for a young woman with a huge tumor on her face

Suffering from a mandibular ameloblastoma that developed since childhood, the 16-year-old Mong girl was left with a facial deformity. But her family was poor and she had no money for treatment.

The child's face before and after successful surgery to remove the tumor - Photo: Provided by the hospital.

On July 29th, the Central Military Hospital 108 announced that it had successfully performed surgery to remove a giant tumor from the face of VTTT, born in 2009, of the Mong ethnic group, living in Púng Luông commune, Lào Cai (formerly Yên Bái province ), free of charge.

From a young age, T. lived without the love of her parents, residing with her paternal grandparents. Her ameloblastoma of the mandible progressed daily, disfiguring her face, hindering her daily life, and severely impacting her mental health and quality of life. However, due to her family's extremely difficult circumstances, she lacked the means to receive treatment.

On July 10th, thanks to the help of philanthropists, T. was taken to the Central Military Hospital 108. Upon admission, the doctors determined it was a complex case. With the treatment costs beyond the family's means, the hospital decided to perform the surgery completely free of charge for T.

The surgery was performed on July 28th, following a thorough assessment and reconstruction of the lesion using advanced 3D printing technology. With a tumor size of 15x10x6cm, destroying nearly two-thirds of the lower jawbone, this presented a significant professional challenge.

Doctors opted for advanced microsurgical techniques, harvesting fibula bone from the patient's leg to reconstruct the lost lower jawbone, aiming to restore facial shape and lay the groundwork for future dental implants.

For nine continuous hours, a surgical team of seven doctors, working closely with the anesthesia team and nurses, successfully performed surgery and removed the tumor from the patient's face.

After the surgery, T. received intensive care at the hospital, her health gradually stabilized, and her face has partially regained its original delicate features.

Dr. Nguyen Quang Duc, director of the Craniofacial Surgery and Plastic Surgery Center at Military Central Hospital 108, shared that this was a very complex major surgery, with both aesthetic and functional considerations, and a high risk of blood loss, but the doctors and nurses did not hesitate.

The successful surgery not only helped T. avoid future complications but also gave her the opportunity to live her life as she would like, and to integrate into the community.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/9-gio-lien-phau-thuat-mien-phi-cho-thieu-nu-bi-khoi-u-khung-tren-mat-20250729183117347.htm