On the morning of July 20, the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases announced that it had successfully operated on a giant congenital melanoma tumor in the lower back of a girl named NTH (8 years old, living in Hanoi ). The tumor was nearly 40cm long and about 25cm wide, with dark skin, rough surface, long hair, causing itching and discomfort.
Master, Doctor Nguyen Ngoc Linh, a plastic and cosmetic surgeon, said: “Child H was diagnosed with giant congenital melanocytic nevus, a condition of abnormal proliferation of pigment cells in the skin, often appearing at birth. This tumor is not invasive but will gradually grow as the body develops, maintaining the same proportion as the original damaged skin area.”
According to Dr. Linh, the tumor appeared right after birth and grew with H's body. By the age of 8, the tumor occupied nearly half of the lower back, with a thick surface like buffalo skin, long hair, frequent itching and sores.
Although most congenital micropigmented nevi are initially benign, with such a large size, the disease has the potential to turn malignant into melanoma at a rate of about 5-10%. At the same time, the lesion also seriously affects the child's psychology if not treated early.
After specialist consultation, the patient was scheduled for two-stage surgery. In the first surgery, the doctors narrowed the damaged area, creating conditions for the healthy skin to naturally stretch - preparing a favorable tissue base for the next intervention.
Based on the child’s physical and mental recovery, a second surgery was performed to completely remove the remaining tumor. “Children’s skin has good elasticity. After the first surgery, the healthy skin area is clearly stretched. However, if left for a long time, both the healthy and damaged skin will continue to stretch, making the treatment process more complicated. Therefore, the second surgery was performed at the right time to achieve optimal results,” Dr. Linh added.
Currently, the patient has recovered well. The scar is soft, not contracted, ensuring aesthetic factors. The child no longer feels itchy and uncomfortable like before, and is more comfortable and confident after many years of feeling self-conscious about his appearance.
Dr. Duong Manh Chien, a plastic and cosmetic surgery expert, recommends: “Giant congenital micropigmentation needs to be detected and intervened early. If left until puberty or later, the risk of malignancy will increase, while plastic surgery will also become more complicated because the skin gradually loses elasticity. It is best to intervene before the child develops a clear awareness of appearance, that is, before 7-8 years old, to reduce psychological impact and achieve high aesthetic results.”
Dr. Chien also emphasized that large tumors like H’s case require a systematic treatment strategy, which can be divided into several stages. “When designing the incision and scar location, we always carefully calculate to hide it in the clothing line, limiting long-term aesthetic effects. This is not only a skin disease, but also a delicate problem of plastic art - accompanying the children’s childhood”./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/phau-thuat-thanh-cong-khoi-u-sac-to-bam-sinh-khong-lo-cho-be-gai-8-tuoi-post1050639.vnp
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