Man from Windsor to have 'record-breaking' kidneys removed

Warren Higgs has polycystic kidney disease, which causes his stomach to swell

A man is preparing to have both his kidneys removed after they enlarged to a potentially "record-breaking" size.

Warren Higgs, 54, from Windsor, has polycystic kidney disease (PKD) that causes small fluid-filled sacs called cysts to develop in the kidneys.

He said his kidneys had grown so large they could kill him.

Mr Higgs has been speaking about his condition in an attempt to raise funds for an electric recumbent tricycle to use following his operation.

The father-of-one said his inherited condition first became an issue for him at the age of 35 when it caused an aneurysm leading to a debilitating stroke that left him paralysed on his right side.

But five years ago his kidneys started to grow up to their current size - five times bigger than they should be, according to his doctors.

'Grow continuously'

The former accountant said: "Mine are extreme. They just grow continuously.

"Considering your kidneys are meant to be the size of a clenched fist, mine are massive.

"They're crushing my lungs, crushing my stomach, and I know they've just done a recent scan and they're crushing my heart now.

"It's horrible because I can't move. I can't breathe. You just cant do anything."

His last scan showed his left kidney to be 42cm (16ins) by 27cm (10.6ins), and his right kidney to be potentially record-breaking at 49cm (19.2in) by 28cm (11in).

He said doctors believe his kidneys could weigh three-times more than a kidney believed to currently be the heaviest in the world - a 7.4kg (16.3lb) kidney removed in India.

Mr Higgs will have surgery to remove both kidneys

Mr Higgs faces a "life-saving" operation next month to fully remove both kidneys, and life on dialysis post-surgery.

He said: "It's not really a record you want to live with, believe me its horrible. PKD has literally taken away my whole life."

He hopes fundraising will be able to raise enough money for him to pay for an electric recumbent tricycle to increase his fitness and "get his life back" following the operation.

Taxi firm Windsor Cars and charity Driven Forward have set up a Go Fund Me to help him.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead councillor Wisdom Da Costa, who has been involved in the fundraising, said: "I have been inspired by his kindness, love for life and get up and go, despite suffering increasingly difficult circumstances in life.

"How could you not want to support such a shining light."

Mr Higgs added: "I would like to bring my kidney home, but apparently that's not something you're allowed to do.

"I want them to go on my fireplace."