New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-02
REMOVING A HUGE TUMOR.
SUCCESSFUL OPERATION UPON A WOMAN.
TIE DIFFERENT STEPS THAT WIRE TAKEN-THE PA
TIENT LIKELY To RECOVER.

TIENT LIKELY To RECOVER.
A female patient wLo has been afflicted with
the slow development Of tumor for the last four years
was admitted TO Mt Sinai Hospital about three weeks
ago. She is married and lived at Norwalk Conn., In the
early stages Of the the local who were
called in to treat it unable diagnose 1t correctly
and 1t was supposed by of them that she about
to become mother while others hnted at the true nat
ure OF the disease. Time however, dispeed the opin
ion that tho woman with child, and her trouble was
correctly diagnosed ovarian tumor. The usual
remedies for the reduction OF this kind OF tumor
without the aid Of the surgeons knife were em'
poyed but 1t increased In sze the growth being rapid
iD the last few months The umor filed the entire alb
domnal cavity and seriously interfered with all the
functions OF the other vital organs and life became
misery the act Of breathing bringing sense of
sufocatfon. With all tho inconvenience and suffering
that attended the growth Of the tumor and although 1t
seen that tho disease wOuld not succumb TO any
known method Of topical treatment tho patient could
not bring her mind to consent to operation. Her
friends physician and husband adv vsed her to take this
course, but for months she resoutey hold out against
their wishes and the extending
every day. it made the surgeons task moro diff
cult II she should consent. Finally, how
eyer the tumOr had grown TO that staAe
when seemed to mp all her strength and left her In
a condition when tho least muscular excrtion was ac-
companicd by great effort and followed b. lOng-con
tnued exhaustion When this condition arrived she
lost the Impression Of horror with which the thought Of
operation had previously hcd her. and readily con-
sented to come to New-YOrR for treatment.
Arriving at Mt Sinai Hospital q thorough examina-
ton made, and number OF tests we've applied to
determine the situation OF the tumor and the
tent of its adhesions the neighboring organs and
tissues Tho tumor appeared to be fairly free from all
dangerous adhcsons and her case was deemed a safe
for operation. After this conclusion was reached
she was prepared by special course OF treatment
to Undergo the great strain which would be placed
upon her system. Her vitality which had been
50 long sapped by the or the disease,
invgoraied well and quickly rs possible, and after
fortnight Of this preliminary reinforcement OF energy
she deemed In fair condition to be operated upon
She taken 20 the bright sunshny operating room IN
the hospital. She went bravoy enough until her eye
met the gliscnng Instruments 80 artstcay arranged
in the cabinets standing against the walls, and then she
duallcd wanted back to tho quictness Of her
cot Being rcassured by kindly voice Of the surgeon
that all would 20 well, she went to the long uninyng
taDo aud lay down upon IT, As soon as she was COM
fortaby settled ehcrized cone was placed over her
nose and mouth and In few moments her eyes closed
lanqully and she turned slightly II to get into an
easy position for quiet sleep A leaden
paleness spread over her face, tho mus
clcs OF the abdomen contracted convusivcly IN
Tho effort pat forth by nature % ncutalNc the effect Of
an examination of her eyes revealed condition OF in
stusby. one Of the assistant pny yscidns olt the pa
The ether iu produce, while tho operating surgeon
made that all the instruments that we're 10 be used
had been rendered innocuOus Dy DelhS eI iof c III
an antiscpiic solution.
slight tension being put upon the abdomen sharp
knife inserted into The flesh about two inches below
the umhl.icu. and drawn Y downward until
superficial incI-0n about six nc.c, long was made The
snrbcd much OF the ia,ty substance usually ionud
IN Ills locality and the abdominal wall was found
10 bc uuusnaliy thin. A. the knife sank deeper
and approached tho internal memhranous Inning OF the
abdoneu director Wa, used by the surgeon 70 prevent
ttt
1ns nnaiv extended through tho abdomen the surface
OF ths tumor exposed. aud portion OF IL caino
buging through the opening mus made An eIAinina-
ton of the demonstrated the correctness or to
1pulOu that there were few important adhcsOns The
surgeon carefully Inserted his hand Into the abdominal
cavity and passed. II all around the tunor without
mectirg any obstruction the removal or which could
be attempted wltn SAFETY. Tho tuor was Iound 10
bc oval IA shape, about eighteen inches long and
,bput twelve iichr. thick through its largest part.
The enormous size of tho tuinOr prevented t from being
removed thi oush the opening In the abdominal wall In
its entirety. By careful manipulation it was tuTnod 30
that thin section OF the sac was exposed Ihen amin
c.lon was made through the neshy portion OF the umor.
and stream nf hight cOlorcd liqnd discharged into
receptacle bouotth the iabo The discharge continued
FOR scVcia minutes aud the amount OF mud vas cst
mated at hvr gallons IL had pcrceptibc though not
disagccahle udUr. After had cca'" 10 10" tue small
quantity that remained was absorbed by spouges and
the walls OF the umor aud the abdominal cavity we're
wiped a. dry - possible.
the eshy portion OF the tumor, having lost It's tension.
hung In n nabby mass, and could easily be
drawn through the wound In the abdo-
Of tho terrible shock her system this stage and
means wero employed To Increase the hearts action.
While tins being dono the surgeon was on.ly Gu
gayed evcrng the aeslOns of tho tunor 10 the sur
rounding mcmbrancs. II was worked entirely free In
short time the exception or it proper connection
at It's base to internal This quickly sew
cred with pAr Of scissors and the arse, ugy-l0OknS
mass was taken away from tue Dody: CohslucIapIe
heuorrhago followed the laccraton of tho ovarian
artery but the bleeding points were 'kfuy Wekei up
and lraures applied After the bleeding had been
stopped and abdominal cavity clcanscd with warm
spouges, another tumOr found This was OF small
sle however and spre iy taken ont without setting
up any dangerous complication, save perhaps hom0r
rlGge tnat showed persistent tendency.
Every trace OF the having been removed NJ far a.
could be found. the pieces or cloth that had
been packed IN around the abdomen were removed
Tho wound wa, then closed by silver and catgut
snturcs so arranged reduce the tension of the alb
donlnal muscles when the patient cOughcd or V0inlen
The abdomen was then covered with an,iseptic band
ages aud stimuants were given repeatedly by hypO-
DER :" Injection The patient rallied from tho shock
ami, J. and no nisuai nfor-efecs observed Tho
tunnr " r. ghed hfty pounds The patient was doing
extremely well yesterday, aud II WAS sdd at tho nos
pa that there was scarcely any doubt that she would
recover