Life Back: Woman Walks After Bone Reconstruction

A woman has regained the ability to walk after a complex orthopaedic surgery at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Shalimar Bagh. She had suffered severe open fractures of her femur and tibia when an auto-rickshaw overturned and fell on her.

The high-impact injury resulted in substantial soft-tissue damage and a critical loss of bone fragments, creating a segmental defect in her thigh bone. This type of injury presents significant challenges in orthopaedic trauma care.

A staged reconstruction was performed. The first stage focused on stabilizing the limb and managing infection by using antibiotic-loaded cement to fill the bone gap. This also maintained stability and facilitated healing.

Following the initial stage, and once the wound healed and infection risks were cleared, a second surgery took place. During this procedure, the cement spacer was removed and replaced with a combination of autologous and artificial bone grafts. An additional plate was applied to ensure structural integrity and promote bone union.

The patient expressed immense relief and gratitude, stating that being able to stand, walk, and hold her child again felt like a second life, especially after fearing permanent disability due to the bone loss.