News / International
British surgeons successfully remove a huge back mole a six-year-old
26 Apr 2012 at 20:36hrs | Views
A Colombian six-year-old boy nicknamed 'Turtle Boy' because of a shell-like birthmark on his back can finally lead a normal life after surgery by a British surgeons at Great Ormond Street.
Didier Montalvo from Colombia, had struggled with a rare condition that covered nearly half of his body.
But thanks to leading plastic surgeon Neil Bulstrode, who operated on him free after hearing of his plight, he can grow up as any other child.
Didier and mum Luz were ostracised in their village - Channel 4
Mr Bulstrode flew to the Colombian capital Bogotá to help a team of surgeons remove Didier's birthmark, which had grown so big that it was feared it could become malignant.
The doctors then had to carry out a complicated series of skin grafts over several stages.
Mr Bulstrode said: "Didier's was the worst case I had ever seen. Effectively three quarters of the circumference of his body was affected.
"When I saw the pictures of Didier, one of my first feelings was that if we could remove it we would significantly improve his quality of life.
"Obviously he has had to go through a number of painful operations, but we feel it was worth it. It's great to see the photos of how Didier is getting on now. I'm really happy with how things have healed."
Mr Bulstrode told how Didier and his mother Luz were forced to live apart from neighbours, who believed his growth was a result of him being conceived during an eclipse. They feared he was touched by evil forces which meant he could not attend school or be baptised.
Mr Bulstrode is an expert in treating patients like Didier, who suffer from a rare condition called congenital melanocytic nevus. The cause is not known but experts think there is a change in the development of skin cells in the embryo triggered by a gene mutation.
Bulstrode removes the growth during surgery in Colombia
Didier Montalvo after the operation
Didier after the life-changing surgery
Mr Bulstrode, who carries out about 40 CMN removals a year on patients at Great Ormond Street, said that working with the team in Bogotá had been an amazing experience.
Didier Montalvo from Colombia, had struggled with a rare condition that covered nearly half of his body.
But thanks to leading plastic surgeon Neil Bulstrode, who operated on him free after hearing of his plight, he can grow up as any other child.
Didier and mum Luz were ostracised in their village - Channel 4
Mr Bulstrode flew to the Colombian capital Bogotá to help a team of surgeons remove Didier's birthmark, which had grown so big that it was feared it could become malignant.
The doctors then had to carry out a complicated series of skin grafts over several stages.
Mr Bulstrode said: "Didier's was the worst case I had ever seen. Effectively three quarters of the circumference of his body was affected.
"Obviously he has had to go through a number of painful operations, but we feel it was worth it. It's great to see the photos of how Didier is getting on now. I'm really happy with how things have healed."
Mr Bulstrode told how Didier and his mother Luz were forced to live apart from neighbours, who believed his growth was a result of him being conceived during an eclipse. They feared he was touched by evil forces which meant he could not attend school or be baptised.
Mr Bulstrode is an expert in treating patients like Didier, who suffer from a rare condition called congenital melanocytic nevus. The cause is not known but experts think there is a change in the development of skin cells in the embryo triggered by a gene mutation.
Bulstrode removes the growth during surgery in Colombia
Didier Montalvo after the operation
Didier after the life-changing surgery
Mr Bulstrode, who carries out about 40 CMN removals a year on patients at Great Ormond Street, said that working with the team in Bogotá had been an amazing experience.
Source - Byo24News | Channel 4
