A team of surgeons at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has achieved a global medical milestone after successfully removing 20.86 kilograms of breast tissue from a 17-year-old girl suffering from a rare condition known as gigantomastia, one of the largest such procedures ever recorded.
The surgery, conducted on September 22, 2025, restored hope and mobility to the teenager, Lydia, whose condition had caused chronic pain, skin infections, and severe emotional distress for over a year and a half.
The excessive tissue, which accounted for 37 percent of her total body weight, had forced her to drop out of school and retreat from public life.
Led by Dr. Benjamin Wabwire, Head of Specialized Surgery and Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at KNH, the 11-hour operation involved a multidisciplinary team of Kenyan and international experts.
Dr. Wabwire described the procedure as “more than a surgical success — it was the restoration of dignity and future to a young woman.”
Lydia’s mother, Naomi Mutendwa, recounted the family’s desperate search for help before being referred from Garissa County Referral Hospital to KNH. “The team didn’t just treat her; they gave me back my daughter,” she said.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard Lesiyampe hailed the surgery as a landmark achievement for Kenya’s healthcare sector, underscoring the country’s growing capacity for complex, world-class medical interventions.
“We are solving local health challenges with global standards of innovation,” he said.
Now recovering at her home in Mwingi, Kitui County, Lydia looks forward to resuming her education in early 2026.
