Service to Bone Tumour Patients

 

Prior to 1988 in India, the treatment of malignant bone tumours was by amputation of the limb to save the life of the patient. Dr Mayilvahanan has revolutionized the treatment of bone tumour patients by introducing the technology of Limb Salvage Surgery by Custom Mega Prosthesis in Tamil Nadu. By this specialized technique he has avoided amputation in patients with bone cancer and pioneered Limb Salvage Surgery.

 

His impressive and unmatched series of 2250 cases of Custom Mega Prosthesis in 34 years (1988 to 2021) has earned him National and International acclaim. Among the 1000 Orthopaedic surgeons in Tamilnadu and 10,000 Orthopaedic surgeons in India, Dr. Mayilvahanan has consistently been doing this work for over three decades. This is the largest personal series by the single surgeon in the whole world.

 

Service to Society

 

The cost of the imported custom mega prosthesis was 4,00,000/- Working on the philosophy of Indigenous Technology Development based on locally available resources in biomedical materials, he has reoriented and improved the health care facilities to bring it within the reach of the common man. The scientifically designed and indigenously manufactured Custom Mega Prosthesis has brought down the cost to an affordable INR 1,00,000/- Thus, he has made the Custom Mega Prosthesis a cost effective treatment, which is affordable by all sections of the society.

 

The Indigenisation of the manufacturing process has cut down the cost of this procedure to one tenth and enabled service oriented organization like the Cancer Institute, Adyar and the Govt. General Hospital, Chennai to offer this invaluable option to their patients. For the needy patients attending the premier tertiary care Public Hospitals in Tamilnadu, the prosthesis has been provided free of cost, bringing this technology within the reach of the poorest members of our society.

 

Inventions

 

8 types of Custom Mega Prosthesis for the different anatomical regions have been Patented with the Director General of Patent in India. The Prosthesis are now available to all the surgeons throughout the country. 15 prosthetic designs have been Registered. Custom Mega Prosthesis has been awarded a Trade Mark.

 

Creation of centres of excellence

 

Dr. Mayilvahanan Natarajan has been performing Custom Mega Prosthetic replacement Surgery at the Cancer Institute, Govt. General Hospital, Apollo Cancer Hospital and M. N. Orthopaedic Hospital for the past 30 years. He has established these hospitals as recognized Centres of Excellence for this unique type of surgery.

 

Teaching / Training and Speciality Development

 

Regular CME’s are conducted all over the country to spread the awareness of the technique of Custom Mega Prosthetic Surgery. He travels to other states to demonstrate the principles and urges his colleagues not to ablate limbs for bone cancer. Guest lectures and Orations are delivered in conferences in all States of India. Currently 18 states have accepted this as a cost effective methodology in limb salvage surgery.

 

Publication in Orthopaedic Oncology

 

He has authored 2 books on Orthopaedic Oncology and Custom Mega Prosthesis. He was the Guest Editor of the Orthopaedic Oncology Section of the Post Graduate Text Book of Orthopaedics published by the Indian Orthopaedic Association. He has published 20 Research papers in peer reviewed International Journals. The long term results of the indigenous custom mega Prosthesis compares equally with other countries.

 

Leadership in Academic Bodies

 

He was the Chairman of the Orthopaedic Oncology section of Indian Orthopaedic Association to develop the subspeciality (1999 – 2003). He was the first Indian to be the President of the International organization - Asia Pacific Musculo Skeletal Society (2000 - 2002).

 

Bone bank

 

He has also been instrumental in starting the Bone Bank at the Government General Hospital, Chennai (2005). This is the first bone bank in the country to be established in a Government Institution. Cadaveric Bones are being processed and made available as Allografts for the poor and needy patients attending the public hospital in Chennai. This has added yet another dimension in the armamentarium available for limb salvage surgery.

 

Summary

 

By self design and indigenous manufacturing, Dr. Mayilvahanan Natarajan has made the Custom Mega Prosthesis Affordable to patients, Acceptable to the medical fraternity, Applicable to society, and the concept of Custom Megaprosthesis in Bone Tumors Attainable in our country, so that India keeps pace with the rest of the World in Orthopaedic Oncology.