The first pediatric patient in Vietnam successfully had a hip replacement using 3D printing technology

DNVN - A 12-year-old patient suffered a femoral neck fracture and was expected to have to walk with a limp. However, Vinmec doctors were determined to give him a new life by performing total hip replacement surgery, using 3D technology and personalized PSI.

A year of limping with unfinished steps

A year ago, Nguyen Ngoc N. (12 years old, Phu Tho ) had an accident and broke his left femur. Although he had undergone bone fusion surgery with a screw at a central hospital, after 6 months, his condition worsened. He limped, had a severe scoliosis, and had a distinct difference in his legs, making moving, playing, and even going to school a challenge.

“Since I broke my leg, I don’t dare go out to play with my friends anymore. I’m afraid of falling, afraid of being teased by my friends…” , the patient shared with the shy eyes of a girl in puberty.

Those incomplete steps had cut short my childhood. Not only was it physically painful, but the lack of confidence, fatigue and inferiority complex made me gradually withdraw into my own small world .

When the family took N. to Vinmec Times City International General Hospital, the doctors realized that this was a rare and complicated case. The girl was only 12 years old - an age when the bone structure is still developing strongly, but the femoral head had been largely destroyed, causing the body's axis to deviate and severe scoliosis. If not intervened early, the spine could be permanently deformed.

“In the world medical literature, there are only two cases of children aged 10 and 11 having total hip replacement. And in Vietnam, this is the first case,” said Dr. Pham Trung Hieu, Head of the Department of Hip and Pelvic Surgery - Vinmec Times City Orthopedic Trauma & Sports Medicine Center .

"Brain-weighing" decision

The biggest challenge of the surgery is not only the small bone size and immature skeletal system, but also the prevention of joint laxity and leg length difference when the child continues to grow in the future. Any deviation of even a few millimeters can cause abnormal joint function or affect the entire motor system.

With the experience of having successfully replaced artificial bones for a number of patients in Vietnam, experts, orthopedic trauma doctors, anesthesiologists at Vinmec held many consultations. Finally, the decision was made to remove the entire hip joint bone , then replace it with an artificial hip bone made of titanium alloy. However, because the child patient is in the age of development , doctors have to consider many factors.

Before surgery, the Vinmec team of doctors simulated the entire hip bone structure using 3D technology, created a digital surgical plan (3D template) and produced a PSI (Patient Specific Instrument) positioning device specifically for the pediatric patient. Each cutting position, each inclination of the acetabulum and bone neck were calculated in detail down to the smallest deviation.

“We use 3D imaging and motion sensors to identify weak muscle groups, from which we can develop a post-operative rehabilitation plan for my child. The goal is not just to help him walk, but to help him walk with the most balanced and natural gait possible,” said Dr. Nguyen Van Vi, Head of Vinmec Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Department .

Thanks to careful preparation and coordination between specialists, the total hip replacement surgery was successful. Just 24 hours after surgery, N. was able to sit up by himself, practice walking with a support frame, and the VAS pain assessment scale was only 2 points - surprisingly low for a major hip replacement surgery.

Two months after surgery, the patient can now walk normally, has a balanced figure, and no longer has a scoliosis. The image analysis of the motor sensor shows that the motor function is over 90% compared to a normal person.

"My husband and I don't know what to say other than gratitude," Mr. Nguyen Van T. - the patient's father , emotionally shared.

With 3D surgical technology and personalized PSI, along with advanced rehabilitation regimen, Vinmec has given the 12-year-old girl the opportunity to live a full childhood, continue going to school and continue writing unfinished dreams.

This is the first total hip replacement surgery in Vietnam performed on a 12-year-old child, marking an important step forward in the field of pediatric orthopedics. The success of the surgery not only opens up a new direction of treatment for children with severe hip injuries in Vietnam , but also demonstrates the important role of precision and humanistic medicine at Vinmec.

Galaxy

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/tin-tuc/y-te/benh-nhi-dau-tien-tai-viet-nam-duoc-thay-thanh-cong-khop-hang-bang-cong-nghe-in-3d/20251113024407697