Thomas Kraut, a 59-year-old optician originally from Germany, had been struggling with an increasingly large stomach for over a decade after moving to Norway. Beginning in 2011, he experienced rapid abdominal growth, leading doctors to diagnose him with obesity and type 2 diabetes in 2012.
Over the years, he was prescribed weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, and participated in fitness and nutrition courses aimed at controlling his weight. However, despite his efforts, his stomach continued to expand disproportionately compared to the rest of his body, prompting him to seek further medical advice. For years, doctors attributed his symptoms solely to obesity.
In 2023, Kraut’s case took a surprising turn when a doctor preparing him for gastric sleeve surgery noticed that his stomach felt unusually hard. Unlike typical body fat, the surface of his abdomen was firm, suggesting something else was causing his abdominal enlargement. Additionally, Kraut’s face and arms had become visibly thin due to his weight loss efforts, with his swollen abdomen standing in stark contrast.
This observation led the doctor to order a CT scan, which revealed the presence of a massive tumor inside Kraut’s abdomen. The tumor was eventually diagnosed as a rare, fatty malignant growth that had been expanding inside him for years, pressing against and affecting his internal organs.
On September 26, 2023, Kraut underwent a complex 10-hour surgery to remove the 60-pound tumor, which measured over 20 inches in diameter. The tumor had caused severe internal damage, requiring the removal of part of his small intestine and his right kidney.
Although the bulk of the tumor was excised, some cancerous tissue remains, as it is intricately attached to surrounding organs and cannot be safely removed. As a result, Kraut must regularly visit an oncologist and participate in ongoing therapy, as the remaining tumor tissue poses a risk of further complications.
The delayed diagnosis has had significant psychological and legal consequences for Kraut and his wife, who work in the health sector. Both were frustrated by the years of misdiagnosis, during which Kraut’s growing tumor was dismissed as obesity.
They decided to file a lawsuit against the doctors and healthcare providers involved, arguing that earlier detection could have prevented much of his suffering. Initially, the lawsuit was dismissed on the grounds that the tumor’s rarity made detection exceedingly difficult. Nonetheless, Kraut’s lawyer has lodged an objection to this decision, seeking accountability for the misdiagnosis.
Kraut’s case highlights the complexities of diagnosing rare medical conditions and the potential pitfalls of attributing symptoms solely to common conditions like obesity. His experience serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of thorough medical evaluation when standard treatments and diagnoses fail to address a patient’s symptoms. For Kraut, the journey to recovery is ongoing, with regular psychological support and medical monitoring as he navigates life after a decade-long ordeal marked by both medical and personal challenges.
