Photo: Warren Higgs
Warren Higgs: Man to have organ-crushing kidneys removed
Warren Higgs, who suffers from polycystic kidney disease, is looking forward to a better life once his ‘record breaking’ kidneys, which are crushing his lungs, stomach and heart, are removed next month.
Photo: Warren Higgs
A British man, who is said to have the world’s heaviest kidneys, suffers from polycystic kidney disease (PKD) which caused the organs to grow to five times their natural size. Warren Higgs will undergo surgery as the kidneys may crush his other organs.
WARREN HIGGS TO HAVE ‘RECORD-BREAKING’ KIDNEYS REMOVED
The 54-year-old from Windsor, England, will have both his kidneys removed as they are now so large they may kill him. PKD causes fluid-filled sacs – called cysts – to develop in the kidneys. Higgs’ last scan showed that his left kidney swelled to 42 centimetres by 27 centimetres and his right kidney is 49 centimetres by 28 centimetres.
At present, the heaviest kidneys ever removed weighed 7.4 kilograms – the operation took place in India. Doctors believe Higgs’ kidneys could weigh three times more than that.
The father-of-one told BBC News that PKD first became an issue for him when he was 35 years old. It led to an aneurysm, which caused a stroke that left him paralysed on the right side. Five years ago, however, the kidneys started growing.
‘THEY’RE CRUSHING MY LUNGS’
Higgs’ life-saving surgery is expected to take place in July and once both kidneys are removed he will have to spend the rest of his life on dialysis.
“Mine are extreme. They just grow continuously. Considering your kidneys are meant to be the size of a clenched fist, mine are massive,” said Higgs to the BBC.
“They’re crushing my lungs, crushing my stomach, and I know they’ve just done a recent scan and they’re crushing my heart now.”
“It’s horrible because I can’t move. I can’t breathe. You just can’t do anything.”
FUNDRAISER FOR ‘LIFE-CHANGING’ WHEELCHAIR
Higgs spoke up about his condition in the hopes of raising awareness and funds to purchase an electric recumbent tricycle for use after the operation.
Local taxi operator Windsor Cars and Driven Forward, a charity, set up a Go Fund Me to help raise the money
According to the crowdfunding page, Warren was involved in an accident, six years ago which left him with brain damage on his right hand side, and because of the growing kidneys his previous wheelchair is no longer able to assist him with mobility.
“Despite all this, you never see him without a smile on his face, and he is known for spreading positivity throughout the community.
“A new wheelchair will be lifechanging for Warren. It will help him regain the independence and mobility that he once had.”
“Help Warren Get a New Wheelchair” can be found here.
