Shanghai General Hospital Successfully Performs Pelvic Tumor Resection and Reconstruction for Ghanaian Patient with a Giant Pelvic Giant Cell Tumor

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/gx2rPGFBSilRBvCjk9mWPg

Recently, the Bone Tumor Team of the Orthopedic Center at Shanghai General Hospital successfully performed a pelvic tumor resection and reconstruction surgery on a patient from Ghana diagnosed with a giant pelvic giant cell tumor. Due to the tumor’s massive size and unique nature, the procedure posed a high risk of intraoperative bleeding. Addtionally, the patient has an extremely rare blood type—Rh-negative B (commonly known as "panda blood")—which further increased the complexity and risk of the surgery. After meticulous preparation and interdisciplinary collaboration, the multidisciplinary team at Shanghai General Hospital completed the surgery in 4.5 hours, successfully removing the massive tumor weighing 8.2 kg (16.4 lbs). The patient recovered well and has since been discharged.

A Long Journey to Treatment

The patient, a 36-year-old Ghanaian, has been studying in China since 2016, earning both a master’s and a Ph.D. degree. About a year ago, he sought medical attention at another hospital due to discomfort in his left hip joint, where an abnormal pelvic mass was detected but initially disregarded. By June of last year, the tumor had progressively enlarged, and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of giant cell tumor of bone. By the end of 2024, the tumor had grown to the size of a basketball and had even ulcerated through the biopsy site, severely impairing the patient's mobility and quality of life. Facing a highly complex and risky surgical scenario, the patient was referred to Shanghai General Hospital by doctors from another hospital.

After a thorough medical history review and imaging assessment, Dr. Sun Wei, Director of the Orthopedic Center and Bone Tumor Department (North) at Shanghai General Hospital, determined that the patient’s condition was urgent and required immediate surgical intervention. However, the surgery presented extreme risks and technical challenges.

Three Major Surgical Challenges

According to Dr. Sun, the surgery involved three key difficulties:

Tumor Size and Location – The tumor was not only massive but also deeply seated in the pelvis, with extensive involvement of surrounding structures. Its uppermost part reached the lower edge of the ribcage, making resection particularly challenging.

Severe Soft Tissue Damage and Infection – Due to its rapid growth, the tumor had caused extensive necrosis and infection in the surrounding soft tissue, making post-resection wound closure and healing highly difficult.

High Risk of Blood Loss and Rare Blood Type – The patient had been suffering from tumor-related systemic consumption, leading to a dangerously low hemoglobin level of just 6.6 g/L at admission. More critically, his rare Rh-negative B blood type made it extremely difficult to secure an adequate blood supply, further complicating the already high-risk surgery where excessive bleeding was anticipated.

Faced with these formidable challenges, the medical team had to decide: should they opt for conservative management or take the risk and proceed with surgery? Determined to give the patient the best possible chance at recovery, Dr. Sun’s team chose to rise to the challenge.

Successful Surgery and Recovery

On the day of surgery, the expert team worked meticulously for 4.5 hours, carefully preserving vital organs, blood vessels, and nerves while achieving precise hemostasis. With great caution, they dissected and completely removed the massive 8.2 kg pelvic tumor. The patient was safely transferred back to the ward post-surgery and has since made a smooth recovery, ultimately being discharged in good health.

The patient’s participation in this report has been authorized.

Reported by: Shen Jiakang, Bone Tumor Department

Edited by: Hu Yang, Cai Shishi, Public Relations & Cultural Affairs Department

Translated byr: Yuhan Wang, International Cooperation and Exchange Department