KNH medics successfully remove tumour from bone of cancer patient

Doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital have successfully removed a tumour from a patient’s distal femur (Lower thigh bone).

The procedure took 16 hours and was conducted by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of six highly trained specialists from the facility.

According to a statement by KNH, the highly delicate procedure helped to save the limb of a 20-year-old patient with cancer of the bone.

The procedure which is the first to be conducted at KNH was done on the patient whose leg had initially been earmarked for amputation.

“The patient is doing very well and recuperating at the Hospital. Her limb function has been restored using a specialized prosthesis,” the lead Surgeon Nicholas Okumu said.

The tumour which had affected blood vessels saw the doctors successfully bridge the gap left in the blood vessels with a vascular graft thereby restoring blood flow to her limb.

The patient’s limb was then reconstructed with a customized prosthesis to restore normal limb function.

The procedure involves removing the cancerous tumor along with a margin of adjoining tissue followed by reconstruction of the limb, both functionally and aesthetically to provide the best possible outcome for any patient.

“Step by step we are achieving our super specialization dream at KNH by taking on challenging cases to realize our potential. This is just but one of the many achievements we have made,” KNH CEO Evanson Kamuri said.

“We will continue as the premier teaching and referral facility in the country to lead the way by adapting current technology and innovation to improve patient care in our facility,’ Kamuri noted.

An Orthopedic surgeon normally recommends limb salvage surgeries after evaluating many factors such as age and general health, type, location and size of the tumour and extent of the metastasis.