A journey of thousands of kilometers to regain legs for a child with bone cancer

Although all three hospitals advised that only amputation could save her son's life, Nguyen Thi Hanh, mother of patient Nguyen Bao Long (18 years old, Lam Dong ), still persevered in holding out hope.

With a mother's heart, she did not hesitate to take her son to Hanoi , and was filled with joy when her son's legs were restored.

"I'd rather die than amputate my leg"

Ms. Hanh's eyes reddened as she recalled the challenging time since her son Bao Long was diagnosed with cancer in late 2023. This simple woman, who had been working on the fields all year round, quickly put everything aside and took her son to the provincial hospital, then to Saigon.

Following her son’s every step, she also told herself to be strong to be a spiritual support to help her son overcome the constant fatigue and hair loss during chemotherapy. But when the doctor announced that his left leg needed to be amputated, both Bao Long and she were devastated.

“I’d rather die than have my leg amputated,” Long said, then resolutely stopped eating and drinking. Ms. Hanh, like any other mother, could not bear it.

After asking around and researching hospitals, relatives and friends, she learned that at Vinmec Hospital in Hanoi, there is a Department of Bone and Soft Tumor Surgery with a team of excellent and dedicated professors and doctors who have performed limb-preserving surgery for hundreds of bone cancer patients. With a light of hope lit in her heart, without delay, she connected with Dr. Nguyen Tran Quang Sang (Head of the Department of Bone and Soft Tumor Surgery, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital, Hanoi) on the afternoon of July 18, 2024. By 12 o'clock at night of the same day, mother and daughter were in Hanoi, ready for a new opportunity in the fight against the disease.

Ms. Hanh emotionally recalls the time she tried to find a place to keep her child.

All of Long's examination, test, and X-ray results were analyzed and evaluated by the Multidisciplinary Oncology Council (MTB) with Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung, Dr. Nguyen Tran Quang Sang, and leading doctors in related specialties such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, pathology, diagnostic imaging, etc. to provide the best treatment direction for the patient. The results showed that the tumor at the lower end of Bao Long's left femur was up to 14 cm in size, compressing the important blood vessel and nerve structures in the thigh and popliteal region. Fortunately, Long did not have any damage to the lungs or other organs in the body.

Success with challenging limb preservation

Recalling the case, Dr. Nguyen Tran Quang Sang said: “After careful consultation, we determined that this was a challenging limb-preserving surgery, with the risk of damaging blood vessels and nerves, which could lead to post-operative limb weakness. We coordinated with vascular surgery experts and consulted right from the beginning of the surgery to ensure complete removal of the cancerous mass while protecting Long’s important blood vessel and nerve systems.”

Dr. Sang added that to reconstruct the bone defect after removing a very large cancerous tumor, doctors at Vinmec Orthopedic Trauma Center applied 3D technology to plan before surgery, accurately calculate the bone cutting position and surgical instruments. At the same time, the artificial joint made of 3D printed titanium material was "tailored" according to Bao Long's own size to ensure the highest fit.

Just three days after arriving in Hanoi, Bao Long underwent surgery in the most modern hybrid operating room in Vietnam. The entire 14cm bone tumor in his left knee, which had prevented him from walking for four months, was removed. The blood vessel system that fed the limb was preserved intact, keeping Bao Long's legs unharmed. Ms. Hanh could not contain her emotions and burst into tears of happiness when receiving the priceless gift that Vinmec doctors had given her son.

After two weeks of recovery, the young man is now focusing on rehabilitation, practicing walking and continuing chemotherapy to prevent a relapse. Despite the pain and fatigue, Bao Long always keeps a smile and an optimistic spirit, persistently following the treatment regimen.

“It was a miracle for my son and I that we were able to save his legs after many efforts to find a medical facility that could help. Long had previously fallen into a state of depression and no longer wanted to communicate with those around him. His mental state was declining, threatening the treatment process and the risk of metastasis if not controlled promptly,” Ms. Hanh shared.

Each patient has their own unique circumstances, but Dr. Nguyen Tran Quang Sang still cannot forget the moment when Ms. Hanh first called Hanoi with a strong determination that moved the whole team. She had never been to Hanoi before and did not know the way, but as long as there was hope of saving her child's life, this mother was ready to go.

Bao Long received dedicated care from the medical team and family.

“Every bone cancer patient is a brave warrior. However, it is the love and unwavering perseverance of mothers like Ms. Hanh, who are always there to support and encourage their children throughout the treatment process, that makes the treatment process most effective. Thanks to that, we can preserve the limb and give patients the quality of life they always dreamed of,” Dr. Sang emotionally shared.

More than 300 bone cancer patients had their limbs preserved.

Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung, Deputy Director of Surgery, Vinmec Healthcare System, said that with 3D surgical technology, Vinmec has achieved anatomical accuracy of up to 98%, bringing miraculous results and impacts far beyond expectations. Since 2017, Vinmec has deployed the Multidisciplinary Oncology Council (MTB) model, creating conditions for bone cancer patients across the country to receive comprehensive and free consultations with leading doctors and experts at Vinmec. To date, Vinmec has successfully preserved limbs for more than 300 bone cancer patients, opening up a hopeful future for them.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/hanh-trinh-vuot-ngan-cay-so-gianh-lai-doi-chan-cho-con-mac-ung-thu-xuong-d222782.html