World's tallest man stops growing after radiosurgery 2012

Sultan Kosen, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's tallest man

 The world’s tallest man has finally stopped growing at 2.51 meters thanks to a pioneering treatment at the University of Virginia Medical Center (UVA).

Sultan Kosen, a 29-year-old Turkish man who is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest man in the world has been suffering from acromegaly, a condition caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which leads to excessive growth hormone production.

The rare condition which has caused several health problems for the patient could lead to his premature death, doctors said. 

“His skeleton just can't support him,” said endocrinologist and neurosurgeon, Dr. Mary Lee Vance who placed Sultan on a new medication that controls growth hormone production in 2010. Medication alone would not be enough, so Vance consulted with neurosurgeon Dr. Jason Sheehan to explore other options. 

According to the brain images, the tumor had spread to other areas of Sultan’s brain and its removal was not safe. 

Therefore, in April 2010 Dr. Sheehan performed a non-invasive procedure called Gamma Knife radiosurgery that delivered a focused beam of radiation guided by MRI to the tumor.  

Three months ago, Kosen's doctors in Turkey told Dr. Sheehan that the patient’s tumor had stopped growing and producing excessive growth hormone. 

 “I'm most pleased that we were able to help Sultan,” Sheehan said in a statement. “If he had continued to grow, it would have been life-threatening.”