Photos: Mexican Schoolboy, With Huge Tumour On His Neck Saved by Surgery

A Mexican schoolboy with a huge foot-long tumour on his neck has been saved after undergoing 16-hours of surgery in the US.

Jose Antonio Ramires Serrano, from Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, had a life-threatening growth that partially blocked his windpipe and put pressure on his heart and lungs.

But thanks to missionaries and US officials Jose travelled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for life saving treatment. 

The growth, called a lymphangioma, was rough and scaly and formed painful cysts.

Jose was prevented from riding his bike, swimming, or running, in case he fell and began bleeding dangerously. He was also stared at in the street due to the size and weight of the growth.

But after missionaries from the First Baptist Church of Rio Ranch spotted him in the poverty-stricken city of Ciudad Juarez, Jose was brought to New Mexico on a medical visa, in the hope of finding a cure.

Doctors were hopeful injections of a new drug - Sildenafil, otherwise known as Viagra, - would reduce the growth because of the problems of operating on Jose while his airway was restricted.

But after 18 months of the unusual treatment - which has shown signs of success in younger children - doctors realised it was not helping.

And instead of getting better, Jose began to suffer from dangerous infections.

Doctors had been reluctant to operate on the lymphangioma, a mixed veinous and lymphatic growth, because of the blood vessels and risk of infection.

But despite the risk, surgeons decided it was time to operate to save Jose's life.

Jose said before the operation: 'I'm anxious and nervous because I've never had an operation in my life.'

His father Jose Snr. said: 'We have other children younger than Jose and we've had to make sacrifices. They understand that it's for their brother.

'They know that it will all turn out well. And now the time has come, we are happy because we are thinking ahead, of the future, thinking of what is good for him. For this reason I feel happy.'

His mother Cindi said: 'After the surgery I want to see him able to ride his bike, to play football, to play with his siblings, more than he has been able to so far.'

A team of 12 surgeons, led by Paediatric Surgeon Cynthia Reyes at the University of New Mexico Hospital, operated on young Jose for 16 hours.

But the procedure was fraught with complications and Jose's parents were worried after only a 30cm by 10cm portion was removed.

Dr Reyes said: 'Unfortunately we encountered a lot of bleeding and we almost replaced his whole blood line, and that's when we decided to stop.'

But despite the unexpected outcome, surprisingly, Jose has completely bounced back from the surgery - and the growth has shrunk.

He said: 'At first I was swollen and then overnight the mass had completely disappeared.

'I'm no longer carrying so much weight now I can lift my arm up a lot more. I'm so much happier.

'I feel a lot less worried than before. I feel in a lot less danger than before, even though the growth is still there.'

Doctors say the scar tissue caused the lymphangioma to shrink down in the months after the surgery.

Now Jose is just like any other boy - playing in the street and riding his bicycle. He has now recovered so well the whole family has been able to go back to their home in Mexico.

And he has high hopes for his future thanks to the team of American doctors.

He said: 'The doctors and pastors from the Church have helped us a lot, my family and me, and, they have really helped. We are thankful towards them.

'For the future I want to study, finish university, work, have a family, and then become a mechanic.'

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