Specialists at the Kenyatta National Hospital – KNH successfully carried out a delicate procedure by salvaging the limb of a 20-year-old patient with cancer of the bone.

According to KNH, A multi-disciplinary team consisting of highly trained specialists took 16 hours to expertly remove a tumor on the patient’s lower thigh bone, which had involved the blood vessels and successfully bridging the gap left in the blood vessels with a vascular graft thereby restoring blood flow to her limb.

In a statement to newsrooms on Thursday September 21, the referral facility said the patient’s limb was then reconstructed with a customized prosthesis to restore normal limb function.

Notably, this was a milestone for KNH since it was conducting such a procedure for the first time.  

“This is the first time such a procedure is being carried out at KNH. The patient’s leg had initially been earmarked for amputation”, read part of the statement.

The KNH further noted that the successful operation has offered the patient new hope and that she would properly walk again.

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

Limb Surgery Procedure

Limb salvage surgery is a type of surgery primarily performed to remove bone and soft-tissue cancers occurring in limbs to avoid amputation.

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The procedure is mostly performed for bone tumors and bone sarcomas but is also done for soft tissue sarcomas affecting the extremities.

Medics in the team that conducted the procedure included Surgeons Dr Gilbert Oburu
(Cardiothoracic Surgeon), Dr Wilson Ngángá (Anesthetist), Dr. Maureen Wanjau, Dr Mandela Korsai, Dr Faith Naliaka, all Orthopedic surgeons.