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Giant Parotid Gland Tumor
This woman presented with a massive tumor that originated from her left parotid gland (salivary gland in the cheek). She said that the mass had been present and growing for over 40 years. Because she never had any pain associated with this tumor, she did not ever seek medical advice. In fact, she said that we were the first doctors that she had ever seen in her life. When her family saw the advertisements in the community about an upcoming Aloha Medical Mission to the region, they encouraged her to seek treatment. She was evaluated by local healthcare providers and a biopsy was done that confirmed that the mass was a benign salivary gland tumor.
When she presented to the AMM team, she had a scarf wrapped around her head and face to hide the tumor. She said that the mass was so heavy that it was hard to hold her head up for long periods of time and that she often had to put a pillow on her shoulder to support her head and neck. After the proposed surgery was explained to her, she decided that she wanted to have the tumor removed.
Surgery to remove parotid gland tumors can be risky, primarily because of the close proximity to the facial nerve, which innervates all of the muscles that move the face. Damage to the nerve can leave a person disfigured. Parotid surgery is typically performed by Head and Neck Surgeons who have specialty training to operate safely in this challenging area of the body.
Because of the large size of the tumor, 2 specialty-trained Head and Neck surgeons worked together to perform the operation. The surgery took 3 hours and was challenging, but the tumor was completely removed and the facial nerve was saved.
After the surgery, she looked in a mirror with her family and could not believe how different she looked. She and her family were happy that they chose to have the surgery. During the following year’s mission, the patient returned to the hospital to thank us again.
Massive Ovarian Cyst
A 38 year old woman presented with a large mass in her abdomen and pelvis that had been growing for several years. She said that she felt like she was pregnant because of the mass and was often asked by others if this was the case. She was told by a local healthcare provider that she was not pregnant and that she should be evaluated at an upcoming Aloha Medical Mission (AMM) surgical mission in the region.
When she presented to the AMM team, an ultrasound confirmed that the mass was a massive cyst that arose from one of her ovaries. Because the mass was causing her so much discomfort and interfered with her ability to work and do her normal daily activities, she decided to proceed with surgery.
Surgery was done through a 3-inch (mini-laparotomy) incision in the lower abdomen. Over 9 liters of fluid were drained from the cyst in order to shrink the mass down to the point that it could be removed through the small incision. The abnormal ovary, with the cyst wall attached to it, was then removed. The entire operation took about 45 minutes.
After surgery, the patient said that she immediately felt more comfortable and was happy that she had the operation. She spent one night in the hospital after surgery and was able to go home the next day.
