VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – At just 22-years-old, Ariana Pulido was diagnosed with a rare condition known as growing teratoma syndrome.
The diagnosis came after doctors discovered tumors in her ovaries and near her liver. When chemotherapy failed and previous attempts at surgery were deemed too risky, Pulido and her family refused to give up.
Now a little over a year after undergoing life-changing surgery, Pulido was finally able to walk down the aisle and say “I do.”
Ariana Pulido (right) and Jeffrey Chavez cut the cake at their wedding. Photo courtesy Ariana Pulido.
A rare diagnosis
What we know:
Pulido was diagnosed with growing teratoma syndrome after experiencing severe pain and the recurrence of tumors, officials said in a statement provided by Cedars Sinai.
Initially, a large tumor was found on her right ovary in April 2023, followed by a smaller one on her left ovary three months later.
Within a month of returning to work, sharp pains returned, and a third, much larger tumor, about 14 centimeters, was discovered near her liver, according to Cedars Sinai.
Chemotherapy failed to shrink this third tumor, which continued to grow at an alarming rate, officials said.
By May 2024, the tumor had reached 27 centimeters, weighed more than 40 pounds, and was pressing against her right lung, displacing her heart to her armpit, rendering her wheelchair-bound and dependent on oxygen.
Pulido’s original care team deemed surgical removal too risky after six failed attempts to administer anesthesia, leading them to recommend hospice care. However, Pulido and her family sought further opinions, ultimately choosing Cedars-Sinai, where Dr. Cristina Ferrone, chair of the Jim and Eleanor Randall Department of Surgery, assembled a team of 13 surgeons from various specialties.
An unprecedented operation
Dig deeper:
The surgical team, including Dr. Tyler Gunn, an assistant professor of cardiac surgery at Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, performed a critical procedure called preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during the first half of the surgery.
This was done using only local anesthesia while Pulido was still awake to maintain her respiration and heartbeat and prevent flatlining.
Dr. Gunn explained that when a patient is put to sleep for surgery, muscle tone and blood flow to the heart can decrease, leading to issues with blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate.
Due to Pulido’s unstable heart, she could not lie flat.
The team adapted by placing her on an incline for the initial half of the 14-hour operation.
Ariana Pulido (right) and Jeffrey Chavez cut the cake at their wedding. Photo courtesy of Ariana Pulido.
Dr. Ferrone noted the extreme complexity, stating, “The tumor was so large and heavy, and it involved such essential blood vessels that if you injure them, it would be very, very difficult to repair them. And an injury like that could quickly lead to death on the operating room table.”
Despite the risks, Pulido remained resolute in her faith and determination.
Ultimately, her surgery was a success.
Within a week, Pulido’s lungs fully expanded, her heart returned to its normal position, and she was able to breathe on her own for the first time in six months.
‘High hopes and faith’
What they’re saying:
Pulido recalled the initial pain: “I was getting the worst shoulder pain I could get on my left side. I went back to the emergency room, and they did another CT scan. Then they saw another tumor. It was much bigger than the first one.”
After her original surgery attempts failed, Pulido said, “The doctors came out of the surgery and told my mom they couldn’t move forward with the surgery because I couldn’t go under anesthesia without flatlining. They said the next best step for me would be hospice care.”
Regarding her decision to proceed with the high-risk surgery, Pulido expressed her profound faith: “The only one that could decide if I do go or stay on that surgery table would be God. And I just had really high hopes and faith that I was going to make it through.”
During the intense awake portion of her surgery, Pulido focused on perseverance: “In my mind, I just kept saying, ‘You got this, just keep fighting, keep pushing.’”
Dr. Tyler Gunn elaborated on the anesthesia challenges: “When someone goes to sleep for surgery, their muscle tone decreases and the blood flow to the heart can decrease as well. And they can have trouble with their blood pressure, breathing and heart rate.”
After Pulido’s recovery, Dr. Ferrone shared her admiration: “When she returned to the clinic a month later, the entire staff and I were amazed. Just six weeks earlier, she had been wheeled in, in a wheelchair. Now she walked through the doors. She’s an incredibly strong young woman and has a wonderfully supportive family.”
A new chapter
What’s next:
Amid her demanding healthcare journey, Pulido’s longtime boyfriend, Jeffrey Chavez, proposed to her during the Super Bowl halftime show last year.
On June 21, just over a year after her life-changing surgery, Pulido married Chavez.
While she will continue to monitor her health closely, Pulido remains hopeful for the future.
“He [Jeffrey Chavez] was always there every day with me, whether it was before work, after work, he was there and visiting me all the time at my mom’s house.” She added, “I feel really good. I feel like a new person. I see the world differently. Every day is a positive day.”
The Source: This report is based on a statement provided by Cedars-Sinai officials, detailing Ariana Pulido’s medical journey and treatment. It includes direct quotes from Ariana Pulido, Dr. Cristina Ferrone (Chair of the Jim and Eleanor Randall Department of Surgery at Cedars-Sinai), and Dr. Tyler Gunn (Assistant Professor of Cardiac Surgery at Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai), offering firsthand accounts and expert medical perspectives on her diagnosis, complex surgery, and recovery.
