‘Radical’ surgery saves life of cancer patient

New Delhi: Doctors at the city hospital successfully operated a large tumour to save the right hand of a 21-year-old cancer patient.

According to doctors, the patient, who is the son of a policeman, was diagnosed with an exceptionally large chondrosarcoma. The malignant bone tumour arose from his lower ulna or the forearm bone. In such big tumours, and with the involvement of surrounding vital structures, the limb may sometime have to be amputated. However, doctors at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) performed a delicate surgery to remove the tumour, eliminating the risk of cancer. With the surgergy, they ensured that the young college student can lead a normal life.

“Before the patient came to us with a badly swollen limb, he had visited two different tertiary care hospitals in the city. However, due to various factors, he could not be treated there. He was extensively investigated, having undergone blood tests, X-rays, MRI, CT scans, and bone scans. He also had undergone biopsy from the swelling, which confirmed the cause as an uncommon bone tumour,” said Prof. Sudhir Kapoor, the head orthopaedic and chief of ortho-oncology at ISIC.

A radical procedure to remove the malignant bone tumour was initiated. Prof. Kapoor was joined by plastic surgeon Dr Charanjeev Sobti. His involvement in the surgery was essential because of the extensive adherence of the tumour to the skin and the resultant expected skin loss during the surgery.