A young girl underwent life-changing surgery to remove a facial tumour that had grown so large it was putting pressure on her windpipe and threatening her ability to breathe.

Ignacia Sanmartin has a benign tumour around her chin and cheeks that made breathing difficult and posed a serious risk to her health.

The girl, from Villa Alemana, Chile, underwent a 14-hour operation to remove the growth and prevent it from becoming even larger.

The tumour, made up of numerous tiny cysts, may return in the future, so doctors will continue monitoring the young girl in the hope that any recurrence will remain small.

Ignacia’s mother, Danitza, said before the tumour was removed: “When she gets sick or catches a cold, she can’t breathe properly. Sometimes the tumour causes Ignacia pain when it grows.

“This gives her earache, affects her balance, and also makes chewing painful. Even the base of her tongue hurts.”

The growth — known as a lymphangioma — developed because of abnormal lymph vessels in her neck, which are an important part of the immune system.

However, the lymph vessels had developed abnormally and produced a tumour that continued to grow.

Her father, Jonathan, added: “The other day she came to me and said, ‘Daddy, big, big.’ As she gets older, she’s beginning to realise that her face looks different from the other children’s. It worries us a lot.”

However, Ignacia’s difficult journey may take a positive turn following recent major surgery to remove the tumour, performed by maxillofacial surgeon Dr Gonzalo Rossel.

Dr Rossel explained: “When there is a problem with the lymph ducts, they gradually begin to produce a tumour that is mainly cystic in nature. It can contain small or large cysts that continue to grow.

“In the future, the pressure could increase, potentially creating problems with the airway.

“So it was really important that we remove the tumour now.”

Lymphangiomas can develop anywhere on the body but are most commonly found in the head and neck.

They occur when lymph vessels do not form properly, causing excess fluid to accumulate and resulting in a benign tumour-like swelling.

They are usually present from birth, although the exact cause remains unknown.

Ms Sanmartin was only three-and-a-half months pregnant when a scan revealed the serious condition affecting her unborn daughter.

Since Ignacia was born, her parents have been fighting to find someone willing to treat their daughter while enduring stares and hurtful comments from others.

Her mother said: “The comments I’ve had to listen to have come from both sides of the spectrum.

“Some have been really kind, while others have said things like, ‘Look at this girl coming over here. Doesn’t she look ugly? She looks like a monster.’

“She is not a freak. She’s a normal girl who is living with a medical condition.”

Doctors had previously been reluctant to operate on Ignacia because of the tumour’s size and complexity, but Dr Gonzalo eventually agreed to perform the surgery.

The surgeon’s main priority was to remove the growth before it could cause life-threatening damage to the five-year-old.

The operation carried significant risks and took a difficult turn when, after most of the tumour had been removed, a remaining section was found to be closely attached to blood vessels. Cutting into it caused rapid bleeding, putting Ignacia at serious risk.

But after 14 hours, the operation was declared a success.

Dr Gonzalo said: “We’ll have to work out how we can help her if it returns.

“However, because we have removed the origin of the growth, I’m hopeful that if anything does come back, it will be minimal.”

Ignacia’s parents are overjoyed by the progress their daughter has made and, despite some complications during recovery, she is doing well.

Her father said: “It’s a remarkable change to her face. You can see that the surgeons and the entire medical team did an exceptional job with our girl. It’s wonderful.”

Ignacia’s story was featured on an episode of Body Bizarre on TLC, alongside the story of 27-year-old Thomas, who lives with a rare bone disease affecting his torso, and teenager Harry, who has Goldenhar syndrome.

Source: Daily Mail