Man has giant facial tumour the size of his own head removed, Thanks to doctors

Kenyan-born Mike Koech wasn't concerned when the tumour began as a small growth. But the 35-year-old grew more and more horrified as it continued to grow until it had consumed one side of his face, becoming so large that his nose and mouth were pushed to one side and he lost his left eye. 

To get rid of the growth which would have eventually been fatal, Mr Koech has undergone a series of operations to remove it performed by Spanish surgeon Pedro Cavadas.

The 51-year-old medic has told how if he had not operated on the giant ameloblastoma tumor from the base of Mr Keoch's skull, it would have continued to grow and his patient would have "died miserably."

Surgeons in Kenya and India had abandoned attempts to operate, intimated by the sheer size of the growth.

Dr Cavadas explained: "The size of the tumour scared doctors in India, and in that country there are good hospitals."

 

He added: "He was at the limit of being operated, but the alternative for Mike was to die miserably and any option was better than that."

Dr Cavadas - who heard about the case through the Red Cross - flew Koech to his clinic in Manises hospital, Valencia, through his charitable medical foundation. 

 

Now - after a series of four operations in 2011, 2013 and 2015 and October this year - Keoch is completely transformed.

Dr Cavadas' team had to remove what remained of his left eye and part of his jaw, which is where the tumour had been regenerating itself.

Now Mr Koech - who lost both his legs in a childhood accident - is set to return to Kenya on December 4 to return to his job as a motorbike taxi driver.

Mr Cavadas said: "We could never remove his right eye because he would not be able to take care of his family.

"In addition, he is my friend and I made a pact with him, if we were not able to control the tumour, I would take care of his family."

The pair became so close that Koech's newborn daughter was named Carmen, after the surgeon's late mother.