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00:02 COMM: The world's tallest woman has undergone
surgery to prevent her being paralysed and going blind.
Siddiqa Parveen, who is estimated to be seven foot eight inches tall, was taken to New Delhi's
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, for the removal of a tumour on her pituitary gland
which was causing her rapid growth.
00:23 DOCTOR: There's a limit to what the body can
do, she would have decompensated, there would have been more fractures, and usually these
patents can die of cardiomyopathy, heart failure.
During surgery to remove the tumour we used the best, the most high tech endoscopes.
00:39 COMM: Twenty six year old Siddiqa, from a
remote village in West Bengal, has suffered from the form of giantism from the age of
fifteen.
In 2013, she was recognised by Guinness as the world's tallest living woman.
00:53 COMM: But the condition has had serious effects
on her health, as she began to lose sight, and was suffering from fractures in her spine.
After being admitted to hospital is January of this year, Siddiqa's size presented many
challenges for the doctors.
01:09 DOCTOR: During surgery we required bigger
tubes and even the BP cuff, the blood pressure cuff, which is used for a thigh, is used for
a normal thigh we used on her arm because her arm was so huge.
Post operatively it was another challenge to manage her in the intensive care, again
a six feet bed which had to be reinforced.
01:30 COMM: Following the surgery, Siddiqa will
remain under the watchful eye of doctors.
01:34 DOCTOR: She has a big body, but a very weak
body, So she requires a lot of rehabilitation.
01:40 COMM: But they hope over time the fractures
to her spine caused by the crushing weight will heal, and improve her quality of life.
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