Total femur replacement using personalized 3D printing technology at Vinmec helps a 7-year-old boy with bone cancer keep his legs and the opportunity to move normally.
In early 2025, Nguyen Van Minh (7 years old, Thai Nguyen), who was active and healthy, suddenly had unusual leg pain. At first, the family thought it was due to too much exercise or lack of calcium, so it was subjective. By the April 30 holiday, Minh’s thighs were unusually swollen. Examination results determined that the baby had stage IIB bone cancer, with the tumor spreading to the entire femur.
Most hospitals prescribe leg amputation to ensure life. However, Ms. Hien (Minh’s mother) did not accept that choice and continued to look for other opportunities. During the deadlock, she learned about limb preservation cases for bone cancer patients using personalized 3D printing technology at Vinmec and immediately took her child to Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.
The operating room and the artificial bone replaced in the baby’s leg. Image: Vinmec
After a consultation at the Multispecialty Bone Tumor Council (MTB Sarcoma) chaired by Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung, doctors assessed that Minh still had a chance to keep his leg if he replaced his entire femur with personalized 3D printing materials – a technique currently owned by Vinmec. This technique helps Minh both completely remove the tumor and preserve motor function.
At 9:00 a.m. on October 15, Minh was taken into the operating room at Vinmec. The surgery lasted many hours. Doctors must treat the invasive tumor while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible, while accurately reconstructing the femur structure to ensure the baby can walk normally in the future. After four hours, the surgery ended successfully.
“When the doctor said ‘we saved our baby’s leg’, I burst into tears. For the first time in many months, I cried with relief, because my hope had come true,” Ms. Hien shared.
However, surgery is only half the battle. Minh still needs to practice rehabilitation, pain control and movement adjustment.
Baby Minh and his mother 5 days after surgery. Image: Vinmec
Doctor II Nguyen Tran Quang Sang, Head of Bone Tumor and Software Surgery Department, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital, said that in the case of little Minh, the biggest challenge lies not in the technology because Vinmec has mastered the technique, but in the coordinated recovery process of the patient. “Young children are easily afraid of pain and have difficulty cooperating, while recovery must begin one or two days after surgery,” the doctor said.
At Vinmec, physical therapists accompany Minh every day. The first steps were difficult, but thanks to effective pain control and encouragement from the medical team, after 5 days the baby was progressing well.
“For a normal person, recovery is difficult, but for a 7-year-old child after major surgery, it is even more difficult. But thanks to good pain control and regular encouragement from the medical team and his parents, after 5 days Minh recovered very well,” said Doctor II Nguyen Van Vi, Head of the hospital’s Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Department.
Minh’s progress surprised the entire medical team. From having to carry and help, Minh began to stand on his own and take his first small steps.
Baby Minh learned to walk using a support device after surgery. Image: Vinmec
Up to now, Minh is the youngest pediatric patient in Vietnam to have his entire femur replaced with personalized 3D printing technology, following the feat Vinmec performed with Minh Duc (8 years old) in May. “Vinmec’s complete mastery of the bone replacement technique with personalized 3D printing technology is rekindling the hope of living a full life for many bone cancer patients on their journey against this grim disease,” a system representative said.