A big growth, resembling horns, had to be surgically removed from a man’s head in India after it had grown there for years.
After suffering a head injury in 2014, Shyam Lal Yadav observed a growth had begun to protrude from the top of his skull. Since the growth was not bothering him, Shyam got it trimmed by his barber at first.
However, when the 74-year-old realised that the growth was starting to form into a structure resembling a horn, things got much worse.
Upon observing this, Shyam, a resident of Madhya Pradesh in central India, decided to consult surgeons. It was discovered that the growth was a sebaceous horn, a protruding growth from the epidermis made of compacted keratin.
The material known as keratin is found frequently in beaks, feathers, and yes, even in the horns of certain animals like rhinos. It is also the substance that makes up human hair, nails, and skin. Although the exact aetiology of the growths in humans is unknown, elderly people typically experience them more frequently.
Although they can appear anywhere on the body, they usually do so more often on the head and shoulders, which are frequently exposed to sunlight. The patient was treated at Bhagyoday Tirth Hospital in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, by surgeon Dr. Vishal Gajbhiye.
“The patient had a head injury about five years ago, following which a lump began to grow,” Dr. Gajbhiye stated. He didn’t pay much attention to it at first because it didn’t hurt. He also had the growth trimmed by the neighbourhood barber.
However, he attended the Sagar hospital when the tumour hardened and began to enlarge.
This kind of uncommon growth is known as a sebaceous horn, or devil’s horn, in medical parlance. “As the horn is composed of keratin, the same material found in fingernails, the horn can usually be removed with a sterile razor.”But treatment for the underlying issue is still required.”
The growth itself may be removed, but it may also be a sign that a cancerous tumour is present in the body. “The sebaceous horns are mostly benign lesions, but the possibility of malignant potential should always be kept in mind,” said Dr Gajbhiye in explanation.
“Medications differ, but some of the options include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. “Immediately after its removal, the skin was grafted on the wound which has now healed completely.”
Shyam spent ten days recuperating in the hospital after the surgery, and a biopsy of the growth revealed it to be benign. Such growths are uncommon, and the case was reported to the International Journal of Surgery.
