Army veteran's knee pain was a warning sign for rare cancer
Summary
Rayshaun Smith, a U.S. Army veteran, experienced knee pain that was later diagnosed as a rare and large sarcoma in his pelvis. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic used a 3D-printed implant to remove the cancer and save his leg, avoiding a full amputation.Key Facts
- Rayshaun Smith felt knee pain during his 2018 military service in South Korea.
- Initial treatments focused on his knee, but pain was actually coming from his hip.
- A biopsy revealed a rare, aggressive grade 3 sarcoma in his pelvis.
- Sarcoma cancers make up about 1% of adult cancers and are often large when found, especially in the pelvis.
- Typical treatment could have involved removing part of his pelvis and amputating his leg.
- Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic planned to remove the cancer and use a 3D-printed implant to reconstruct Smith’s pelvis.
- The 3D implant is custom-made and has become more common in the last decade.
- The surgery was complex and lengthy, lasting six to ten hours, with risks like infection and blood clots.
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