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Mother's Bone Rebuilds Teen's Limb After Infection
16 Oct
Summary
- A 16-year-old's thigh bone was rebuilt using her mother's fibula.
- This innovative surgery has helped six children with large bone defects.
- The reconstructed bone continues to grow five years post-operation.
In 2021, a 16-year-old girl in Delhi had her thigh bone reconstructed by doctors using a piece of her mother's fibula, the smaller bone of the lower leg. This innovative surgery has allowed the rebuilt bone to continue growing five years later.
The technique addresses significant bone defects, some measuring 12-13 cm, in children with conditions like bone cancer, chronic infections, or unhealed fractures. The mother's fibula bridges the gap when the child's own bone is insufficient.
This approach, with limited prior documented use in children (for a forearm case), was pioneered at Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital. Since the initial surgery, the team has successfully treated five additional children, including patients from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan who had been advised amputation.
These subsequent cases involved children with bone cancers and severe post-infection fractures. Two young boys from Uzbekistan, facing above-knee amputation, underwent this reconstructive surgery, showcasing the procedure's life-altering potential for children worldwide.
