'Tree man' faces new operations
Published: Dec 20, 2008 6:12 AM | Updated: Dec 20, 2008 11:15 AM
Indonesian "tree man" Dede's condition has declined again after returning from the hospital in August this year having surgically removed six kilograms of wart from his body, Reuters reported.
Indonesian "tree man" Dede's condition has declined again after returning from the hospital in August this year having surgically removed six kilograms of wart from his body, Reuters reported.
The 37 year old has been dubbed the "tree man" for the gnarled warts all over his body culminating in root like structure growing out of his hands and legs.
He has been treated as an out-patient since his surgery but has recently found his condition to worsen said the news agency.
"Those (warts) that were removed are growing again and started to reappear after I returned home," Dede told Reuters. He also added that before he could go fishing and use a cell phone but now needed assistance again for such activity.
His condition is believed to be caused by Human Pappiloma Virus (HPV) infection. Doctors say his case is thought to be the worst of its type in the world. The disease however is not life-threatening.
Dede first noticed the wards when he cut his knee as a teenager.
Overtime, he has been terminated by his employer, deserted by his wife and shun by his neighbours. The root like structure in his body has prevented him from working.
"I'm not desperate but I want to recover," said the father of two, speaking from his home in the remote West Java village of Tanjung Jaya.
Further operations
Further operations will be conducted to remove and reduce the wards at the end of December or early next year.
"We have told him that his disease could not be 100 percent cured. In the previous operation, we only tried to increase his quality of life," said Rachmat Dinata, one of a team of doctors treating him at the Hasan Sadikin hospital in Bandung, a city near his village.
She added at least two operations annually will have to be conducted.
Discovery Channel recently made a documentary about Dede's affliction and his life. In order to make ends meet he was forced to take part in a circus act in Bandung .
But after his case received widespread publicity, he has received donations from public and government.
Besides enabling him to seek treatment, he has also been able to buy some land to grow rice and a second-hand car so his relatives can bring him to hospital.
The 37 year old has been dubbed the "tree man" for the gnarled warts all over his body culminating in root like structure growing out of his hands and legs.
He has been treated as an out-patient since his surgery but has recently found his condition to worsen said the news agency."Those (warts) that were removed are growing again and started to reappear after I returned home," Dede told Reuters. He also added that before he could go fishing and use a cell phone but now needed assistance again for such activity.
His condition is believed to be caused by Human Pappiloma Virus (HPV) infection. Doctors say his case is thought to be the worst of its type in the world. The disease however is not life-threatening.
Dede first noticed the wards when he cut his knee as a teenager.
Overtime, he has been terminated by his employer, deserted by his wife and shun by his neighbours. The root like structure in his body has prevented him from working.
"I'm not desperate but I want to recover," said the father of two, speaking from his home in the remote West Java village of Tanjung Jaya.
Further operations
Further operations will be conducted to remove and reduce the wards at the end of December or early next year.
"We have told him that his disease could not be 100 percent cured. In the previous operation, we only tried to increase his quality of life," said Rachmat Dinata, one of a team of doctors treating him at the Hasan Sadikin hospital in Bandung, a city near his village.
She added at least two operations annually will have to be conducted.
Discovery Channel recently made a documentary about Dede's affliction and his life. In order to make ends meet he was forced to take part in a circus act in Bandung .
But after his case received widespread publicity, he has received donations from public and government.
Besides enabling him to seek treatment, he has also been able to buy some land to grow rice and a second-hand car so his relatives can bring him to hospital.
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