11-year-old girl will move her arm through a 3D printed individual prosthesis

published on 10/15/24 10:36 AM

Photo: UMBAL Eurohospital Plovdiv

For the first time in Bulgaria, an 11-year-old girl will be able to move her shoulder and arm again - thanks to a unique operation in which a tumor was removed and an individual 3D prosthesis was placed, reports the UMBAL Eurohospital Plovdiv. The child had a malignant tumor on the right scapula, involving the right humerus.

The team of leading orthopedic surgeons removed the malignant tumor by total resection, removing the right scapula and the upper edge of the right humerus of the young patient in the department of orthopedics and traumatology of the medical institution. Surgeons replaced the removed scapula and humerus with a 3D-printed endoprosthesis with a double-hinged joint for the shoulder, created especially for the 11-year-old girl.

The prosthetic device is custom-made for the girl after a previously prepared scanner with 3D reconstruction. The prosthesis is made of titanium, with a diamond coating and is wrapped with a textile tube.

The operation was performed by a team of doctors from the departments of "Orthopedics and traumatology" and "Anaesthesiology and intensive care" of Eurohospital Plovdiv under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Vladimir Stavrev MD and Prof. Dr. Lyuben Stokov MD. A specialist in vascular surgery also participated in the team.

A year and a half ago, the same team saved the leg of a 4-year-old child with a customized double-growing tumor knee endoprosthesis. With the current operation, thanks to the innovative technical solution, the girl is expected to move her upper right limb without a problem, after the necessary rehabilitation.

The 11-year-old girl is from Pleven, but has been living in Plovdiv for several months for treatment. Preoperative chemotherapy was performed according to an appropriate protocol. After being discharged, the patient will continue with chemotherapy.

The unique surgical intervention and the expensive prosthesis were fully covered by the National Health Insurance Fund.

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Photos: UMBAL Eurohospital Plovdiv

Compiled by Gergana Hrischeva

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