Cancer battle: GCRI surgeons save shoulder & elbow joints

AHMEDABAD: The cancerous tumour gets developed around joints, leaving the surgeons with no other option but to remove knee, ankle, shoulder or elbow joints and replace it with artificial ones which need correction at regular intervals. In such situations, the surgeons try to salvage the bones and joints whenever possible.

In three recent cases recorded at Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI), the team led by Dr Shashank Pandya performed upper limb (humerus bone and shoulder joint) autograft.

The youngest of the patient was eight-year-old girl whereas the oldest one was a 30-year-old woman. The method is identified as extracorporeal radiotherapy (ECRT).

Dr Abhijeet Salunke, orthopaedic onco-surgeon and part of the team, said that in the procedure, the affected bone is extracted, the tumor is removed and is given radiotherapy before fixing it again with help of plates and screws. “While the method is used for lower limb (leg) surgeries, the number of surgeries for upper limb is not so prevalent,” he said.

“It is important for the patient as their own bone is attached without hampering its natural growth — especially in younger patients — for better functional outcomes. Such surgery in private setup runs into lakhs of rupees,” said Dr Jaymin Shah, orthopaedic oncology specialist and part of the team along with Dr Salunke and Dr Mayur Kameni.