A man developed huge fatty tumours after taking part in a ceremony involving carrying heavy wooden spires atop his shoulders.
The patient was admitted to hospital with large masses seen on his shoulders – particularly the left one – and across his back.
A picture of one of the lesions removed shows it measured a length of more than 10cm.
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The bizarre occurrence came following his participation in a local festival called the Festival of Lilies or Festa dei Gigli – a Catholic celebration that honours the saint San Paolino.
During the event, teams of men carry eight giant wooden spires through the town street.
These represent the lilies that greeted the saint when he returned to Nola after being held captive by barbarians.
The carriers of the wooden spires, which are held atop their shoulders, are called ‘cracles’ and occasionally develop something dubbed the ‘Saint Paulino tumour’ – named after the patron of the festival.
The macroscopic features of the excised lesion. (Picture: Jam Press)
Cradles carrying loads of 50-60kg on their shoulders for roughly three-four hours during the festival, reports Need To Know.
The tumours – which often appear around the third time they carry the load – present as a ‘post-traumatic intermittent chronic lesion’ on the shoulder, caused by the prolonged pressure on the area.
The benign tumours are made of fatty cells, in what doctors say “develops due to intermittent, long-term pressure on the shoulder” in response to carrying the spires.
The results were shared recently in a case report for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open medical journal.
In the same report, 15 other men with similar shoulder issues following participation in the festival were evaluated, all aged between 33-58.
Three of the men evaluated went on to have surgery, while others declined surgical intervention, with some considering it a “distinctive emblem to be proudly embraced”.
A follow-up one year after surgery found no recurrence of the issue.
The festival takes place in Nola, Italy, every June.
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