Life occasionally presents rare medical cases that leave even experienced doctors astonished. One such extraordinary incident involved Suze Lopez, a 41-year-old nurse from Bakersfield, California, USA, whose routine surgery led to an unexpected discovery.
A Tumour Diagnosis That Hid An Incredible Truth
Suze had been diagnosed with a large tumour in her abdomen and was admitted to the hospital for surgery to have it removed. The growth had continued to enlarge over time and eventually weighed around 22 pounds (approximately 10 kilograms). Preparing for surgery, doctors conducted a routine pregnancy test, and the result came back positive.
Both Suze and her medical team were puzzled. Doctors initially believed the result was a false positive, possibly caused by the massive ovarian cyst.
For years,
Suze had experienced irregular periods and mild abdominal pain, which she attributed entirely to the tumour. She had also been trying unsuccessfully for 17 years to conceive a second child, gradually accepting that it might never happen.
Unbeknownst to her, the very condition she believed was worsening was masking something extraordinary.
A Rare And Dangerous Pregnancy Discovered
Three days later, when Suze was admitted with severe abdominal pain, doctors made a shocking discovery. She was experiencing an abdominal ectopic pregnancy, an extremely rare condition in which the baby develops outside the uterus, within the abdominal cavity.
Surgeon Dr John Ozimek from Cedars-Sinai Hospital explained that while Suze was pregnant, her uterus was empty. Instead, a fully developed baby was found resting near her liver, while the large tumour occupied most of her abdomen.
A Pregnancy That Should Not Have Survived
In abdominal ectopic pregnancies, survival is exceptionally rare. The placenta cannot safely attach in the abdomen, often leading to catastrophic bleeding and, in most cases, loss of the baby.
Yet in this case, against all medical odds, the baby had developed fully and remained healthy.
A Team Of 30 Experts Steps In
Recognising the complexity and danger of the situation, a team of 30 medical specialists was assembled. Gynecologic oncologist Dr Michael Manuel, who was called in to remove the massive cyst, said he had never encountered a pregnancy progressing this far outside the uterus in his entire career.
During surgery, doctors carefully moved the tumour aside and successfully delivered the baby.
The baby, named Ryu, was born weighing 8 pounds and was healthy. Immediately after delivery, Suze suffered severe bleeding, a known risk in such cases, but doctors managed to stabilise and save her life as well.
A Once-In-A-Lifetime Case
This extraordinary case left even seasoned doctors astonished. What began as a routine tumour surgery turned into one of the rarest pregnancy outcomes ever recorded; a living, fully developed baby born from an abdominal ectopic pregnancy.
And for Suze Lopez, a 17-year wait for a second child ended in a way no one could have imagined.
