Saudi team uses 3D-printed guides to preserve patient’s leg in complex surgery

Surgeons at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh have carried out a limb-preserving procedure on a patient with a tumour affecting the upper femur and extending towards the hip joint, using patient-specific 3D-printed cutting guides to enable precise resection.

The tumour’s position is typically linked to high complication rates and often results in amputation or severe loss of function. In this case, clinicians used detailed imaging to produce customised guides that matched the bone’s contours, allowing for accurate removal of the affected area without damaging the hip joint.

A custom-fitted prosthetic hip was implanted during the same operation, allowing the patient to begin walking within hours of surgery, according to the medical team.

The procedure forms part of KFSHRC’s wider 3D-printing programme, which has been recognised internationally for its application in complex surgical planning. The technology provides surgeons with a detailed physical model that can reduce uncertainty during high-risk procedures and minimise damage to healthy tissue.

Specialists in orthopaedic oncology say such techniques are expanding treatment options for patients with aggressive bone tumours, particularly in anatomical regions where conventional surgery relies more on estimation than exact measurement.

KFSHRC’s 3D-printing laboratory, multidisciplinary tumour board and surgical planning capabilities have contributed to the institution’s standing as one of the limited number of centres able to undertake similar high-complexity interventions.