Surgery to Remove 200-Pound Tumor on Man's Leg a Success

A handout photo made available on June 17, 2011 shows officials talking with Nguyen Duy Hai, 31, Da Lat, Lam Dong province, Vietnam. (Handout)

A Vietnamese man who went under the knife to remove a massive 198-pound tumor from his right leg was recovering Friday following a successful surgery.

Nguyen Duy Hai, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, had been living with the tumor since he was aged four.

In a risky 10-hour procedure led by American doctor McKay McKinnon at the France-Vietnam (FV) hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday, surgeons successfully removed the tumor.

Nguyen's brother, Nguyen Duy Sang, told Vietnamese news agency Tuoitrenews on Thursday night that the patient was in a stable condition.

Local media reports gave Nguyen's age as between 31 and 32.

Nguyen had part of his leg amputated when he was 17, but the tumor, which was not cancerous, continued to expand, making it difficult for him to walk and sleep.

The growth was thought to be the largest ever recorded in Vietnam, according to state media, who have followed Nguyen's condition for years.

"This is a huge procedure with many risks, including the risk of death during surgery or post-operative care," the hospital said before the operation, adding that the patient and the family decided to proceed with the removal nonetheless.

McKinnon waived his fee for the surgery and the remaining costs, estimated to come to around $12,000, will be covered by donations, FV hospital said.

A California-based film crew producing a documentary about Nguyen -- including the surgery -- will be aired on Discovery Channel, Viet Nam News said.