Half Man Half Tree Removes Four Pounds of Warts and Hopes to Marry

Dede Koswara, also known as the Tree Man of Java, is hoping  to marry after doctors surgically removed the bark like tissue growing from his hands and feet.  Koswara lived for 20 years covered in warts that resembled tree like growths.

The Telegraph reports that Koswara can now walk and use his hands without pain.  Since the operation, he has become a “Sudoku addict” as he now has the ability to hold a pen.

The 37 year old man hopes to live a normal life following two more operations, including a skin graft onto his hands, feet and face.  He said at an Indonesian hospital, “What I really want first is to get better and find a job.  But then, one day, who knows?  I might meet a girl and get married.”

Dede was made famous following a feature on the Telegraph and on a Discovery Channel documentary.  The documentary showed Dede’s life as he gave up his job as a builder and a fisherman for a travelling freak show after his wife of ten years left him, leaving him to support his two children.

Dr. Anthony Gaspari travelled to Indonesia and found that Dede’s illness was caused by an extreme case of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in combination with a rare immune system deficiency.  He described the virus as being able to “hijack the cellular machinery of his skin cells,” leading the production of the massive tree-like growths, also called “cutaneous horns.”

Dede underwent his first operation in January, and had more warts removed in March.  Doctors are now trying to make sure they don’t grow back.  To boost his immune system, Dede takes vitamin A tablets while Dr. Gaspari hopes to get an expensive anti-viral medicine available in the United States.

Dr. Rachmat Dinata, the skin specialist working on Dede’s case, says that Dede’s operation should be completed within three months following a skin graft to cover the damaged areas.  He says “There is still a high risk that there will be a recurrent growth of warts.  So far, though, there has been some thickening of the skin, but no recurrent warts.  Dede is very happy.  Hopefully he will be able to socialize and work again.”

View a video of the Tree Man at : http://video.finditt.com/ViewVideo.aspx?fileid=612