Cancer tumour removed with 3D-printed jig – ET HealthWorld

Chennai: City doctors used a 3D-printed jig on an eight-year-old boy to remove a cancerous tumour on his leg bone, without harming the knee joint, which was 0.5cm away from the tumour. Nearly a month after the surgery, Akhilan walked before flashing media cameras with the help of a walker. Doctors announced that the boy, who has recovered well, will soon be able to fulfil his dream of riding a bicycle.

Akhilan who was diagnosed with non-metastatic osteosarcoma on the bone of his left leg (proximal tibia) in Madurai came to the Chennai-based Apollo Proton Cancer Centre for treatment. After chemotherapy sessions, doctors recommended surgery to remove the cancerous tumour. “There was a 0.5 cm normal bone below the knee. We decided to remove the cancerous bone and save his knee joint. This will save his limb,” said consultant orthopaedic oncologist Dr Vishnu Ramanujan. “The only way we could do this with precision was by using technology,” he said.

Before the surgery, doctors fused the images of MRI and CT to create a three-dimensional view of his bone and the tumor. “We then 3D printed a cutting jig in the hospital. This jig worked as a marker that allowed us to cut the bone to a point where it is ‘oncologically safe’. We also ensured we save the native knee joint,” he said.

During the procedure, the bone containing the tumour was sterilized with a fraction of radiation and the same bone was re-implanted. A 3D printed customized plate was also placed to stabilize the bone.