CHENNAI: Doctors at Apollo Hospitals successfully completed a total femur replacement on a 11-year-old boy from Bangladesh recently. The boy was bedridden for months and was dependent on someone for his daily routine. The patient was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma of left distal femur, a rare type of cancer affecting the bones. It usually affects the largest bones in the body. It is a life threatening condition, a press release from the hospital said.
In the past, amputation of the limb for bone tumours were the only option for long term survival of a child. However, recent advances in modular prosthesis and surgical technique has allowed limb-saving strategies. Total femur replacement is considered an ideal surgery.
Dr R Sankar, senior consultant paediatric orthopaedic spine surgeon, carefully removed the femur bone and a prosthetic bone was placed, the release said. The patient was discharged within a week. The wound has healed and the patient is walking without any support.