KNH SURGEONS MAKE HISTORY

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) surgeons successfully performed a record Gigantomastia surgery on a 17-year-old woman and removed 20.86 kilograms of breast tissue.
The 11-hour operation was performed on September 22, 2025, lifting a weight burden off Lydia Musivi, who battled the extreme and elusive condition for more than 18 months. The removed tissue accounted for 37 per cent of her total weight.

"This was not only a success in the theatre; it was the restoration of the dignity and future of a young woman," said Dr. Benjamin Wabwire, Specialized Surgery Head and Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, who carried out the procedure.

Lydia's illness had made her suffer from acute pain, rapid breast growth, skin infection, and intense emotional suffering. It left her crippled so that she could not walk or stand without pain, forcing her out of school. She declared relief and joy at her new life.

Lydia, according to KNH, declared relief by saying "the weight is now over. I feel free, lighter, and ready to return to school."
The adolescent is looking to return to school so that she can fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher.
The pioneering procedure brought together a panel of multidisciplinary specialists, including Professor Lew and Dr. Kim from South Korea's Yonsei University, and KNH's own Dr. Claire Odero, Dr. Agnes Wanjiru, and Dr. Joy Mwangi.

The anaesthesia was led by Dr. Hellen Mwari and Dr. Eileen Towett, while Esther Munga and Eun Jin Chae provided vital nursing care.

Naomi Mutendwa, Lydia's mom, narrated her experience of years of search for help.

I watched my daughter wither from the strain of this condition. It stole away her confidence and her future. We were desperate until we were sent to KNH from Garissa County Referral Hospital," she told KNH.

"The doctors here saw the girl, not the condition. They did not treat her for what they saw; they brought my daughter back to me. They have given her a second chance at life.".

Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard Lesiyampe described the achievement as the "world-class" in a celebration of KNH's role as an icon of medical excellence in Africa and globally and of Kenya's growing potential for innovative medicine.

"We are solving local healthcare issues with a global standard of innovation and a deeply human touch, raising new benchmarks for patient-centered care," said Dr. Lesiyampe

Lydia has since been released from hospital and is recovering at home in Mwingi, Kitui County, and will resume school with her peers in January 2026.