For the first time in Jordan and the Middle East
King Hussein Cancer Center surgical team headed by Dr. Rakan Kamal Shahaltough, Consultant Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, and chief of the spine unit, has successfully conducted for the first time in Jordan and the Middle East, an 8 hour surgery resecting a whole diseased vertebra for an 18 year old female patient.
The patient was complaining of severe back pain for two months prior to her first clinic visit and after completing thorough examination, x-ray and MRI for the patient, a lesion was detected in the first lumber vertebra. Biopsy taken from the related vertebra showed that the lesion was malignant with no indication of cancer spread to other body organs.
Dr. Asem Mansour, the General Manager of the King Hussein Cancer Center, stated that this type of surgery is being conducted only at the best cancer centers in the world and is a very demanding and lengthy procedure that carries significant risks therefore requiring great efforts and highly experienced and skilled surgical team including surgeons, surgeon assistants, anesthesiologists, anesthetic specialists and nurses.
Dr. Mansour expressed that this is a one of a kind achievement to add to the center's work and that the center always aims to excel in all aspects of medicating and caring for cancer patients, indicating that the center's aspirations does not seize until the goals are realistically achieved by providing actual healing and care for Jordanian and Arab cancer patients.
Dr. Shahaltough, Consultant Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, indicated that this type of cancer (Leiomyosarcoma of bone) is extremely rare to occur in bones, and rarer in the spine as a first spot for a malignant lesion to appear ,as the lesion appeared in one vertebra and was not due to a cancer spread from any other organ in the body.
Dr. Shahaltough also clarified, that the best decision in this young patient's case was by resecting the entire vertebra in two pieces through only one approach to ensure complete cure for the patient and minimize the risk of tumor cell spread or contamination. The surgery was done by doing a single incision in the back, removing the affected vertebra back elements as complete piece and the front elements (the vertebral body) as one piece without invading the tumor, and then reconstructing the defect by a titanium expandable cage filled with bone graft material, and stabilizing the spine with titanium pedicle screw construct and vatallium rods. The procedure is named (Tomita L1 posterior en bloc spondylectomy).
The surgery was done in December 2013 after taking the consent and approval of the patient and her family. After the surgery the patient remained in King Hussein Cancer Center for three weeks and was subjected to intensive physiotherapy sessions until she was able to walk unassisted, the patient returned to her home and was able to conduct daily chores.
Four months after the surgery and constant follow up and examinations by the center, the patient was found doing well and happy and there was no signs of tumor recurrence or spread and the construct was stable with evidence of solid bone healing inside the cage.
Dr. Shahaltough also explained that surgical intervention in malignant spine problems is divided into two main types of surgeries 1. Palliative surgeries: Those are divided into two subcategories: Major surgeries which aim to decompress and protect the nerves and the spinal cord and stabilize the spine to control pain, and the other part are the minimal invasive surgeries such as vertebral cement augmentation (Vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty) and minimally invasive decompression and fixation. Such palliative surgeries are more common to be done as the main aim of this kind of procedures is to protect the nerves and reduce pain, as most malignant lesions occurring in the spine are metastatic; that are caused by a spread of a remote cancer from other body organs such as breast, colon and lung cancers.
2. Curative surgeries: which are not conducted as much because the indications for such surgeries are extremely rare, this type aim to remove the entire malignant lesion aiming for cure. These are done for primary malignant spine tumors which are not spread, these cases constitutes less than 5% of malignant vertebral tumor. And this kind of surgery was conducted for the above mentioned case concluded Dr. Shahaltough.
For more information, please call: 0777652229
Hanan Mohidin - Public Relations & Media Officer- Media and Public Relations office - King Hussein Cancer Center
Email: hmohidin@khcc.jo
© Press Release 2014
