MD, as well as a team of anesthesiologists
and other clinical operating room
staff launched Mrs. Sudduth’s return
to health. In an extraordinary effort,
Dr. Ward was able to remove the tumor
without sacrificing the hip joint. Then
Dr. Mahabir’s team picked up the ball
by working to stabilize her pelvis. “We
rebuilt the pelvis and created a support
or ‘strut’ to hold it in place, allowing
her to be able to walk and function,”
says Dr. Mahabir. “Luckily, the body
has an amazing design, with an extra
bone called the fibula, located in the leg.
We knew we could transplant the fibula
to the pelvis, so it would act as a brace
for support, along with the necessary
arteries and veins to have appropriate
blood supply.”
This surgery would preserve the
function of Mrs. Sudduth’s pelvis,
allowing her to walk and eventually
engage in other activities. The surgery
itself has been attempted only a few
times in North America, including
at MD Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston, Texas. “Every surgery like this
has its own personality; they’re all pretty
rare,” says Dr. Ward. Dr. Mahabir says,
“Dr. Ward has a unique skill set in that
he can take on incredibly difficult cases.
There are probably no more than a
dozen experts like him in the country.”
“We got the best possible
outcome—it was the one we had hoped
for,” says Dr. Ward. The tumor was
completely removed and has low risk
of recurrence. Multiple team members
with extraordinary talent and dedication
to their craft helped their patient, who is
one of their own.
“It wouldn’t be possible to perform
this kind of surgery unless you have
a multidisciplinary care model, like we
do at Scott & White,” says Dr. Mahabir.
“Tracy’s care involved radiation
oncology, reconstructive surgeons,
genetics experts, oncology surgeons,
nurses, rehabilitation professionals,
and more. We have a fantastic team
of caregivers.”
“I’ve only seen three
people with this
condition in the past
15 years, and she
was by far the most
capable of dealing
with it, because she
doesn’t get defeated.”
—Raman Mahabir, MD
Mrs. Sudduth agrees. “Scott &
White is one of a few hospitals that
would’ve attempted the surgery,” she
says. “I knew I had the best team. They
went above and beyond. I was so happy
I didn’t have to go to Houston for the
surgery. We have leading-edge medicine
right here in Central Texas.”
“Tracy is full of positive energy,”
says Dr. Mahabir, whose own plan
included drawing several pictures of the
pelvis in three-dimensional structures
before he went to work alongside
Dr. Ward in the operating room.
“I’ve only seen three people with this
condition in the past 15 years, and she
was by far the most capable of dealing
with it, because she doesn’t get defeated.”
After a two-week hospital stay and
two weeks of inpatient rehabilitation
at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in
Waco, Mrs. Sudduth returned home.
She finds strength each day—some
days more than others. “Because of my
nursing background, I knew what I was
in for when I saw the initial MRI,” she
says. “It has taken a whole year to recover,
but I’m very thankful for the mobility I
have.” The physical therapy visits have
ended, and the recovery process is now
about developing endurance, starting
with standing for periods of time.
Mrs. Sudduth uses a cane, and she
appreciates the progress she’s making.
Dr. Ward, who recently completed
a Sarcoma Advanced Research and
Clinical Fellowship at the Huntsman
Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah,
loves to work with patients with cancer.
He says, “I chose a very challenging
subspecialty to practice. It’s a unique
situation when someone you’re close
to becomes the most challenging case
you’ve seen. I couldn’t be happier to see
such a great outcome for Tracy.”
Now cancer-free, Mrs. Sudduth
continues to take life one day at a
time. She looks forward to completing
her advanced degree and beginning a
brand-new chapter in her life. n
sw.org | November 12 The Catalyst
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