Novel Surgery Helps Save The Life Of A Young Boy

Novel Surgery Helps Save The Life Of A
Young Boy
Innovative cancer surgery was successfully performed at the MPCT
Hospital, the best cancer hospital in Mumbai, to avoid the amputation of the
left leg of a young patient. Doctors surgically removed the cancerous part of
the left femur bone of Anuj Santosh Santhan, a ten-year-old boy, exposed it
to high dosage radiation, and then fixed it back.
The boy, a class 5 student, is a resident of Nashik. He underwent as many
as two chemotherapy sessions at a Nashik private hospital, following the
diagnosis of femur osteosarcoma in his left femur in June. Anuj was sent to
the Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, for the removal of the tumor. There he
was asked to undergo two more chemotherapy sessions. Doctors advised
Santosh and Suvarna, his parents, that the surgery can be done after three
weeks. However, they were told that the waiting period was two months. A
family friend referred them to the MPCT Hospital, Navi Mumbai, as Anuj’s
life was in danger.
The surgery called for the removal of about 15 cm of the left femur of Anuj
and placing a prosthetic implant. Santosh and Suvarna were devasted when
they were told that their son’s leg needs to be amputated. However, they
felt relieved came when the orthopedic oncologist Dr. Mishil Parikh and
radio-oncologist Dr. Rohan Salunke at the best cancer hospital in Mumbai
came up with a revolutionary solution to salvage Anuj’s limb.
Dr. Parikh said that all options, including the use of a modular prosthetic,
were explored. He added that the customization of the modular prosthetic
was a lengthy process. Further, the cost of an expandable prosthetic, which
could only be used for pediatric purposes, was around Rs. 20 lakhs to 25
lakhs. Dr. Parikh noted that this was beyond the means of Anuj’s father who
was a farmer.
This prompted the two doctors to explore the possibility of removing the
affected part of the left femur and subjecting it to radiation treatment
outside the body in a sterile chamber. This was possible because the
hospital was equipped with the machinery needed for providing advanced
treatment. The doctors toiled for seven hours to complete the procedure.
The affected part was subjected to a high dose of radiation in order to
destroy all cancer cells. The treated part was then re-joined with the child’s
leg.
Dr. Parikh said that the tumor had affected about 11 cm of the femur and
the surgery was instrumental in saving the child’s limb. He also noted that
the re-joined part would regrow in three months. This meant that the cost
incurred was in comparison to using an artificial prosthetic limb. In
addition, he noted that the chances of relapse were as low as 0.01 percent.
The boy is recovering well because the blood loss was very less.
Dr. Prince Surana, MPCT Hospital CEO, said that the procedure was carried
out as a charitable activity as Anuj’s parents were not in a position to afford
the treatment. As the boy was young, doctors had to make sure that he had
a disease-free life ahead. Anuj’s parents said that they considered the
treatment as a blessing because they could not see the child’s suffering and
they would not have been able to pay for the treatment.

Innovative cancer surgery was successfully performed at the MPCT Hospital, the best cancer hospital in Mumbai, to avoid the amputation of the left leg of a young patient. Doctors surgically removed the cancerous part of the left femur bone of Anuj Santosh Santhan, a ten-year-old boy, exposed it to high dosage radiation, and then fixed it back.

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