A 10-year-old girl from Dien Bien province arrived at K Hospital experiencing persistent pain and swelling in her left thigh, making walking difficult. An MRI revealed a 12x9 cm lesion on the lower end of her femur. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis: osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
"Without timely treatment and intervention, the child would face significant challenges in mobility and quality of life," said Dr. Hoang Tuan Anh, Head of the Musculoskeletal Surgery Department.
A multidisciplinary team of doctors decided on adjuvant chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery. Bone cancer in children, especially near the knee joint, often significantly impacts limb development. In the past, amputation was the standard procedure for such cases.
However, with advancements in surgical techniques and prosthetic technology, limb salvage surgery using a prosthetic knee replacement has become a viable option.
This case was particularly complex because the patient was only 10 years old and still had significant growth potential. A standard prosthetic knee replacement could lead to uneven leg growth, with the left leg becoming shorter than the right. This would affect her mobility, aesthetics, and overall quality of life.
After careful consideration, the surgical team opted for a growing prosthetic knee. This specialized prosthesis allows for adjustments to the length of the left leg through minor, minimally invasive surgeries, ensuring that both legs develop evenly.
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Doctors perform knee replacement surgery on the young patient. Photo: Manh Tran |
Doctors perform knee replacement surgery on the young patient. Photo: Manh Tran
The team ordered and imported the prosthesis to ensure it was the best fit for the patient's physique, allowing for personalized treatment. The 4-hour surgery involved removing a 16 cm section of the affected femur, preserving as much healthy tissue as possible, and implanting the growing prosthesis.
A week after the surgery, the patient is recovering well, with the incision healed and no complications. She will continue physical therapy to regain full mobility. In the future, she will undergo further surgeries to adjust the prosthesis's length as her right leg grows.
According to Dr. Tuan Anh, this is the first time K Hospital has performed a growing knee replacement surgery. "This surgery not only offers the child a chance for full recovery but also marks a significant advancement in limb salvage treatment for bone cancer in Vietnam, particularly in preserving function and future growth potential for young patients," a hospital representative said.
Le Nga
