A baby girl is finally set to have a large neck tumour removed after it grew to the size of a tennis ball in just nine months.

Alishba Arsalan, from Korangi, Karachi, Pakistan, was born with cervical myelocele — a congenital condition caused by incomplete closure of the backbone and the membranes surrounding the spinal cord.

Her parents, Muhammad Arsalan, 22, and Shanila Arsalan, 20, first noticed swelling on Alishba’s neck shortly after her birth, but doctors initially struggled to identify the cause.

However, as the mass continued to grow and eventually reached the size of a tennis ball, doctors at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre were able to diagnose her condition.

Alishba, who is now nine months old, is expected to undergo surgery to have the mass removed next week.

Shanila said: “I noticed the swelling on her neck when she was born, but doctors were unsure what was causing it. Within weeks, a round mass began developing on her neck, and it has now grown to almost the size of a tennis ball.”

Alishba’s parents have taken her to several doctors since her birth, hoping to find answers and the right care for their little girl.

Fortunately, the family recently brought Alishba to Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre in Karachi, where specialists diagnosed her with cervical myelocele and assured her parents that the operation would be performed free of charge.

Surgeon Raza Rizvi said: “In the majority of cases, children with this condition develop hydrocephalus. Fortunately, Alishba’s MRI shows no signs of hydrocephalus, and the mass is not currently causing her any discomfort, which is encouraging.

“Her surgery is scheduled to take place next week.”

Source: metro.co.uk