Indonesian 'Tree Man' Dede Koswara's condition relapses as warty growths make a return
29 April 2009
A man dubbed 'Tree Man' due to bark-like growths all over his body has suffered a setback after his condition started to relapse.
More than a stone of bark-like warty matter was cut from Dede Koswara's feet and hands earlier in the year and he had hoped to start to live a normal life for the first time since he was a teenager.
But the growths have started to reappear, closing the gaps between his fingers and preventing him from carrying out everyday tasks.
He had previously shown off his ability to grip a pen, but now that is impossible. He still manages to smoke by balancing the cigarette between his first and middle fingers, but that is near the limit of his dexterity.
Surgeons removed the gnarled, foot-long growths on his hands and feet several months ago.
After the groundbreaking operation, Dede said: "What I really want first is to get better and find a job. But then, one day, who knows? I might meet a girl and get married."
Dede left hospital after six kilograms of the warts which create the tree-like appearance and covered 95 per cent of his body were cut away during nine operations.
One of the doctors looking after Dede warned the warts were the result of severe Human Papilloma Virus infection and might re-grow.
He first noticed the warts on his body after cutting his knee as a teenager. He said he once cut them off but it only caused them to grow faster.
Over time, Dede was fired from his job, deserted by his wife and shunned by neighbours as the grotesque extensions grew to cover most of his body.
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