ZAGREB, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Split has successfully performed its first removal of a highly malignant osteosarcoma tumour from the tibia in Croatia, the Croatia Week said in a report on Friday.
Osteosarcoma is among the most aggressive tumours in the human body. Due to the complexity of such procedures, patients in Croatia were previously referred abroad for treatment.
This operation was recently conducted on a young man from Split, the second largest city in Croatia, and he is now recovering well, according to the report.
During the operation, the medical team completely removed the patient's knee joint and the upper 17 centimetres of the tibia, the report said, adding that these were replaced with a special tumour prosthesis and an implant substituting the removed bone. The resulting defect was then primarily closed and covered with a skin-muscle flap.
This success marks a significant advancement in the capabilities of the Croatian healthcare, offering patients access to high-level medical procedures within the country, the report noted. ■
