Docs use new technique to extract infected bone from teen’s arm

Deepak (18), who was suffering from the chronic form of the ailment for the past five months, had developed a swelling in the left arm after his infected dead bone started secreting pus with the new bone growing around it. The incidence of osteomyelitis is two in every 10,000 people and can be treated with antibiotics unless it turns chronic.

“His arm movements became painful. We first consulted private doctors in Kalyan, but when they could not improve his condition for months, we were referred here,” said Vinod Sharma, Deepak’s father.

Deepak, who is now awaiting discharge to give his pre-board examination, said, “I had fever, too. With antibiotics, the swelling first reduced but came back later.”

On January 2, Sharma underwent the surgery. His left arm has been plastered to allow bone regrowth.

Keny, the orthopaedic department head, said, “We have never come across a door-like surgical intervention for treating this inflammation in medical literature. Usually when doctors make a few centimetres wide window in bone, the bone does not regrow and it becomes fragile. We decided to adopt a new method since the boy is young and already very thin. The door-like incision will get covered with new bone soon.”

According to the GT hospital doctors, the infected bone had to be removed in over three separate extractions and was six centimetres long.

Saraoge, who was also part of the team, said, “This disease can be induced by infected blood stream or if immunity is low. In his case, we do not know the cause. If not treated, in rare cases the infection can also spread to the whole body or damage the entire bone.”