BBCI starts Isolated Lim Infusion

GUWAHATI, May 3: Isolated Limb Infusion (ILI) was successfully done at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati on two adolescent patients of osteosarcoma on  May 1, 2017 under Surgical Oncology Department with participation of Dr Firdaus Ahmed (Interventiol Radiologist), Department of Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Aesthesiology and OT staff concerned.

This is the first time that this procedure has been undertaken in BBCI. The two patients had large residual tumours after systemic chemotherapy, and this procedure is done to make it possible to undertake limb conserving surgery later, a press release said.

Isolated Limb Infusion is a method of regiol chemotherapy where the circulation of the affected limb is isolated and chemotherapy is circulated through the tumour for a predefined time allowing a very high concentration of chemotherapy to develop within the tumour, while sparing the rest of the body. It is undertaken usually in patients who have residual tumours in the extremities after standard chemotherapy, for the purpose of undertaking limb salvage surgery.  Normally these young adolescent patients would have to undergo amputation of the limb due to their residual disease.  Intertiol experience has shown that there is no difference in the overall survival or disease free survival amongst patients treated with amputation or ILI followed by limb conservation surgery. In India high quality prosthetic limbs are not freely available, limb conservation is a much desirable approach to extremity sarcomas which fail to respond to standard chemotherapy, the release said.  

The dose of chemotherapy is calculated based on accurate calculation of the limb volume using radiotherapy Treatment Planning System (TPS). The procedure is done as an interventiol radiology with fluoroscopy under general aesthesia.  It is hoped that this procedure will become an important milestone towards initiating limb conservation in maligncies of the extremities in this part of the country, the release added.  

Director, BBCI Dr A C Kataki complemented Dr. Firdaus Ahmed, Dr. B. B. Borthakur, Dr. Munlima Hazarika, Dr. Prasenjit Barman, Dr. Amit Imdar and all supporting staffs for this achievement.