Doctors at HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Center successfully Replace Entire Thigh Bone of a young Bangladeshi National for Cancer

Mumbai: A team of specialized doctors at HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Center Mumbai, one of the leading cancer chain hospitals in India, successfully treated a 29-year-old-patient suffering from sarcoma, or bone cancer. The multidisciplinary team at the hospital was led by Dr Haresh Manglani, Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Oncosurgeon, HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Center and included associate surgeons Dr Rajesh Rohira & Dr Amit Bali and Dr. Pranav and Dr. Shubham as assistant surgeons.

Raman (name changed) who was a citizen of Bangladesh had undergone treatment in his home country for a pathological fracture.  Pathologic fracture is a type of fracture that occurs after a trivial trauma or injury in a bone that is already weakened due to the cancer disease process in the bone.

Raman (name changed) suffered a trivial injury in January 2023, where he fractured his left thigh bone in mid thigh area.  He was treated at Bangladesh by Intra medullary nailing. During the surgery the doctor in Bangladesh took a sample from the fractured area and sent it for testing. The test results revealed that he had a cancer of the bone. This was re confirmed and the patient was referred to a Oncologist in Dhaka. The doctor in Dhaka told the patient that the only treatment  for the type of cancer he had is surgery. He further told the patient that the only treatment that can be offered to him in Bangladesh would be Amputation from the Hip. If he was interested in saving his leg he would have to go to Mumbai.

While coming to Mumbai the patient had a severe bout of sneezing as he was alighting from the train. This resulted in one more fracture of the hip area in the same leg above the previously treated fracture in the mid thigh region.

He arrived at HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Center to seek treatment for his condition, post which a series of tests to diagnose his condition was conducted by the specialists at the hospital. These test results found that the best way forward would be to remove the entire left thigh bone which was diseased and replace it with a metallic prosthesis. Although the surgery  was  complicated, the operating team at the hospital were skilled and confident that they could ensure the best possible outcome for the patient, where he could recover in a manner that would enable him to return to his daily life with  no complications.

Giving details of the surgery, Dr Haresh Manglani said, “The patient had been diagnosed with a case of sarcoma, originating in the femur bone, which is present in the thigh region of the human body.  He was treated by intra medullary nailing for the first fracture in the mid thigh region. While the procedure of intra medullary nailing is a right procedure to treat a normal fracture, however the same procedure will carry the cancer disease process from one part of the bone to another in cases of pathologic fractures. Now the cancer is supposed to have spread in his entire left thigh bone. Since he already suffered two fractures, removal of the bone through surgery would ensure the best possible outcome. We operated on the patient and performed a full composite replacement surgery where we removed the entire cancer affected thigh bone (femur) and  replaced his entire thigh bone with a metallic prosthesis and put implants in his hip and knee joints . Effectively entire bone and 2 joints were reconstructed in the procedure. This reconstruct would ensure  that his future mobility and movement would be  un affected.” 

“Bone tumor affects 20-30 people in every 1,000 patients with common symptoms being pain and swelling in the affected area which does not regress with routine medications. This is followed by reduced function and severe pain at night  The type of sarcoma affecting Raman is amenable only to surgery. These kind of surgeries are complex as one has to start above the hip and end below the knee. The blood vessels and nerve skirt around the cancer affected bone, with the cancerous bone digitating around the blood vessels and nerves. The blood vessles and nerves have to preserved so that the leg can survive and function normally. The patient is only 29 years of age and has a good 50 to 60 years of life ahead of him. This created enormous presuure on the entire team to deliver a good and effective surgical outcome. We are happy that we could achieve all the we planned to do and give him a good, viable and functioning limb” added Dr Haresh Manglani.

Raman (name changed) expressed his gratitude and said, "I am so grateful to HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Center in Mumbai for all their expertise in treating my condition and giving me a new lease of life. The expert consultation and detailed case analysis ensured that the surgery could be conducted with minimal complications and was praiseworthy. Thanks to their efforts, I can return to my country and  life a normal life  with renewed enthusiasm."
After the surgery, the patient recovered in a steady manner and with good  physiotherapy was able to regain his normal movements. The patient was discharged on June 26 this year.