Bangladesh man dubbed 'Tree Man' with huge growths on his hands and feet

A Bangladeshi man popularly dubbed the 'Tree Man' for massive bark-like warts on his hands and feet.

26-year-old Abdul Bajandar from southern Bangladesh suffers from epidermodysplasia verruciformis, a condition so rare there are only three known cases in the world. The condition is dubbed 'Tree Man' because sufferers grow bark-like warts on their appendages

 

Bajandar initially thought the warts were harmless but slowly as the growths covered his hands and feet, he was forced to quit working as a bicycle rickshaw puller. 

 

Although its non cancerous warts and has been admitted to hospital last month to finally shed some of the growths weighing at least five kilograms (11 pounds) that first began appearing 10 years ago.  

 

A team of doctors operated on Saturday on Abul Bajandar's right hand to remove some of the smaller growths, his second such operation, said Dhaka Medical College Hospital facility director Samanta Lal Sen.

'We removed some small warts from his palm. We also did dressing of his fingers, which were operated on last week. He's now better,' Sen said.

 

But Mr Bajandar would need up to 15 operations in total to rid his body of the growths, which may take six months to one year, Sen said.

 

Mr Bajandar, from the southern district of Khulna, was diagnosed with epidermodysplasia verruciformis, an extremely rare genetic condition dubbed 'tree-man disease' that causes the growths.

 

He has become a celebrity, with people travelling to Khulna over the years to see him and hundreds visiting him in hospital.

 

Bajandar said he was determined to continue with the treatment no matter how long it took.

An American doctor had previously said the warts were the result of severe Human Pappiloma Virus (HPV) infection and doctors thought his type was the worst in the world. 

Credit:Dailymail