In a rare and surprising case, a 51-year-old woman, who is a homemaker and mother of two children, has been successfully treated by doctors in Pune, after they found that she had a large tumour (fibroid) growing in her uterus almost the size of a football, and she was completely unaware of it, considering it as an asymptomatic fibroid.
The fibroid, weighing around 3 kilograms, was safely removed by the doctors at Motherhood Hospital in Kharadi giving her a new lease of life.
It all started just two months ago when the woman noticed a small bulge in her stomach. Since she didn’t have any pain or discomfort, she ignored it. But during a regular check-up, a general physician felt a lump and advised her to get a sonography done. That’s when the big shock came, the scan showed a massive 20 cm fibroid almost the size of a football weighing 3 kg in her uterus.
She was then referred to Dr Madhuri Laha, who is the senior gynaecologist and obstetrician at the hospital in Pune. After taking a detailed medical history, the expert found that three years ago, Rima had suffered from heavy bleeding (medically called menorrhagia). At that time, a scan had shown a small 4.2 cm fibroid. Since she was close to menopause (a stage when such growths usually shrink), doctors had performed two simple procedures, like uterine curettage (cleaning of the uterus) and insertion of a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) to stop the bleeding.
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Dr Laha said, “What makes this case unique is that fibroids diagnosed during the perimenopausal age, especially when asymptomatic, are generally not expected to grow this big. However, in this instance, due to the absence of regular follow-up and imaging led to a shocking size and weight of fibroid of 3 kg . This case reinforces the importance of periodic health check-ups and monitoring, even when there are no obvious symptoms.”
Due to its large size and pressure on other organs, doctors decided to go ahead with a major surgery called Total Abdominal Hysterectomy with Bilateral Oophorectomy. In this procedure, the uterus was removed (hysterectomy). Both ovaries were removed (oophorectomy), and the surgery was performed through an abdominal cut (open surgery).
“Large fibroids like this are not only rare but also tricky to operate on,” explained Dr Sushil Deshmukh, consultant – general, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, who was part of the surgical team.
He added, “They press on nearby organs like the bladder, intestines, and even the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. There’s always a risk of damaging those areas. Every step in surgery must be done with precision.”
The procedure was completed successfully, and Rima was discharged in stable condition. She is now at home and recovering well.
“This case shows how important regular check-ups are, even when you feel completely fine. Fibroids can grow silently, and early detection can prevent major complications. Although fibroids are common, fibroids of this size are extremely rare and are seen in less than 10 per cent of cases. Quick action, early diagnosis, and treatment by skilled doctors can make all the difference,” highlighted Dr Laha.
The woman said, “I had no idea something this big was inside me. I had no pain or problems, so I didn’t think much about it. I’m very thankful it was caught during a check-up. The doctors gave me full confidence, and I’m feeling so much better now. It feels like I’ve got a fresh start.”
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