China's Elephant Man Faces Further Surgeries

Joseph Merrick suffered from neurofibromatosis, which causes extremely large tumors and disfigurement. China's Elephant Man, Huang Chuncais, suffers from the same ailment.

Unlike Joseph Merrick, Huang Chuncais had had surgery in an attempt to reduce the tumors. However, the surgery faced by China's elephant man is risky, as would surgery have been on Merrick.

Neurofibromatosis grows in clusters. The areas where it is the disease is concentrated require a lot of blood. As such, surgery on those areas can result in severe hemorrhaging if those veins are accidentally cut.

According to National Geographic, which ran a story on China's Elephant Man's earlier surgeries, his next surgery is scheduled in some months. Adding to the risk presented by blood loss, the position of the next tumor is against his brain, making it difficult for doctors to perform the surgery.

China's Elephant Man had an operation in July 2007, at Fuda Cancer Hospital-Guangzhou that removed 33 pounds from the right side of his face. He had a second operation in January 2008 to remove a further 10 lb. of tissue from the right side. The next surgery will remove the tumor from the left side of his face.

Watch a video here.