World's tallest man finally stops growing after pioneering treatment at US hospital

The world's tallest man appears to have finally stopped growing after treatment at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Sultan Kosen, who stands an incredible 8 ft, 3 in tall, made his first visit to the hospital in Charlottesville, Va, in May 2010 for treatment, the UVA said in a statement.

The 29-year-old, from Turkey, suffers from acromegaly which is triggered by a tumor in the pituitary gland.

The tumor causes a large amount of growth hormone to be produced, which can lead to gigantism if it begins before puberty.

Kosen was treated by endocrinologist Dr. Mary Lee Vance, who placed him on a new medication to help control the production of growth hormone and stop his continuous growth.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Jason Sheehan then performed Gamma Knife radiosurgery in August 2010.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a non-invasive procedure that delivers a focused beam of radiation guided by MRI to a specific part of a patient's body.

Around three months ago, Kosen's doctors in Turkey told Sheehan that he had finally stopped growing.

The specialized treatment has seen the UVA mentioned in the 2012 edition of Guinness World Records, alongside Kosen's entry as the tallest living male.

Vance said, "Treating someone 8 feet, 3 inches tall is no different from treating someone 5 feet, 10 inches tall. The important thing is to stop the production of the excess growth hormone."

Sheehan added, "I'm most pleased that we were able to help Sultan. If he had continued to grow, it would have been life-threatening."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/13/worlds-tallest-man-finally-stops-growing-after-pioneering-treatment-at-us/#ixzz1p4Wadezg

Category: Health Advice