A Chinese man with "elephantine face" has left Guangzhou Nanfang Hospital for the Spring Festival after 2.8-kg tumors on his face was removed.

Chen Shiping, 40, had his face covered with tumors developed from a small tumor on his head when he was seven. He went to the hospital in September last year.

"Chen suffered the unwonted neurofibroma, a usually benign tumor originating in peripheral nerve fibers," said Gao Jianhua, the plastic surgeon in charge of the surgery.

About ten such cases had been reported in China but Chen was the worst one. The operation was a challenge to the contemporary plastic surgery, said Gao.

The first surgery in June and second surgery in December had removed a total of 2.8-kg tumors on his face, eyelids, lips, forehead, neck and left ear.

Chen suffered a breath failure and putrescence of face tissues after the second operation. He then underwent a trachea dissection and wound repair operation and was fed with a tube.

He eventually got well and was released from the hospital on Monday with a new face.

Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation found Chen when it was helping victims in a flood last June in Heyuan City, south China's Guangdong Province.

The foundation donated 100,000 yuan (US$12,887) for Chen's operation.

Although his face is still different from normal people, it's much better than in the past, said Gao.

"He is really in a good mood after the operation," said Chen's nurse.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2007)