Three-year-old girl has massive face tumour removed in life-changing surgery

A three-year-old girl has undergone marathon surgery to remove a 2.2-kilo (five pound) tumour from her face.

Melyssa Delgado Braga, who is from Brazil, traveled to Louisiana, USA, for the eight-hour operation.

The trip was made possible after assistant professor at LSU Health-Shreveport, Dr. Celso Palmieri, came across a post on social media where Melyssa's family were desperately seeking help.

'As I was reading more about her story, I realised our department could probably help her, and particularly Dr. Ghali and his department,' Dr Palmieri told CNN. 

'I've seen him helping people so many times, so I took a screenshot of the child, and I texted it to him.'

He agreed to do the surgery and, with the help of non-profit health organisation, Willis-Knighton Health System, the family were able to travel to the US where they were provided with accommodation.

Without surgery to remove the myxoma tumour - a rare and benign cancer - Melyssa would have been about one month away from her airways becoming completely blocked.

When Melyssa’s parents saw her after the surgery, they dissolved into tears.

'They were so happy they were crying,' Dr. Ghali told People.

While Melyssa will still need more reconstructive surgery in the future, she is now recovering well at home.