February 25 2016, 14.10 PM IST || Pocket News Alert
Hoping against hope and battling severe adversities, Bhandup resident Namdev Govind Gawde (59), a bone cancer patient, received a new lease of life and mobility following successful chemotherapy sessions and surgery at Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital (NSSH). The treatment was provided on a priority basis by NSSH under its free treatment category as he came from a weak economic background.
An X-ray done on the patient revealed a tumour in Gawde's left thigh bone. He underwent a biopsy at Tata Hospital and during the course of the process, he sustained a fracture of the thigh bone, exposing the tumour, which was localized, to the dangers of increased spreading. For an accurate diagnosis, Gawde was referred to NSSH and he was immediately put under neoadjuvant therapy which involves undergoing 3-4 cycles of chemotherapy sessions, under the supervision of senior medical oncologist Dr. R. Gopal, prior to undergoing a surgery for the bone tumour. The size of the tumour shrank considerably following his positive response to the chemotherapy cycles. After three cycles of chemotherapy, Gawde underwent surgery.
The complex medical procedure was performed by Dr Haresh Manglani, Orthopedic Oncosurgeon wherein the entire portion of the cancerous bone was removed without impacting the nerves of the leg and blood vessels supplying blood to it. An Orthopaedic Oncosurgeon is a highly specialised doctor who utilises the knowledge of Orthopaedic and Cancer surgery to offer limb, joint and function preserving surgery to a wide variety of bone cancer affected patients, helping them lead a normal and functional life. An expert team of anesthetists helped in maintaining a low blood pressure during the 5 hour operation in which 18 cms of the lower left femur, comprising around half of Gawde’s thigh bone, was removed. Following the removal of the cancerous bone, the defect in the femur was rectified by means of a modular endoprosthesis.
Gawde who had been virtually immobile for around three months walked out on his legs three days after the successful completion of the surgery.
