NEW DELHI: A 60-year-old Nigerian underwent a high risk and rare surgery for total femur replacement, which included replacement of his entire thigh bone, a knee and a part of his hip. The surgery, which saved the amputation of the patient’s lower limb, was conducted at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi. According to doctors, the patient, Onah, had been undergoing treatment for recurrent giant cell tumour for the past 12 years. He had undergone two surgeries in South Africa in 2010 following which the tumour excision and mega prosthesis was done at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in 2013 followed by a revision in 2016. On his recent follow up consultation his reports revealed that he required total femur replacement prosthesis as there was no bone left. The patient was admitted to the hospital and the procedure was conducted on the same day. In a 5 hour long procedure, a total femur replacement was done by Dr Yash Gulati, Senior Consultant Orthopaedics, Joint Replacement and Spine and his team of surgeons. Dr Gulati said, “administering a total femur replacement surgery to Onah, with a history of tumour excision and mega prosthesis procedures in the past, was challenging.” He further said that the surgery was high-risk as the patient had multiple surgeries in the same region and had a big tumour operated three times in the same area along with a total of 5 surgeries earlier. There was a risk of embolism (a blocked artery caused by a foreign body, such as a blood clot or an air bubble) as he was not in a mobile condition for several months. Moreover, there was also a big risk of dislocation due to the lack of proper tissue support. The surgery was the last resort and another alternative option would have been to do an amputation of the whole lower limb, said a doctor, adding that the reason for the ailment was a tumour. The procedure and post-surgical recovery of Onah was uneventful and after a week the patient was able to move with support. He was discharged from the hospital. As a treatment modality, he shall be administered regular post-operative physiotherapies for a couple of months.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/60-year-old-nigerian-undergoes-total-femur-replacement-at-delhi-hospital/articleshow/95341726.cms