Doctors at Pune hospital save 9-day-old’s leg from amputation

Probable amputation of the right leg was being considered by the doctors at a government hospital in Osmanabad and devastated by this condition, the family decided to shift the baby to an advanced healthcare facility. The army officer father decided to shift his baby daughter to Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, where the doctors had to ensure aggressive resuscitation and stabilisation before any surgery could be planned.

Dr Hemant Patil, Neonatologist, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital took up the challenge and brought the baby out of septicaemia. The first challenge at hand was to remove the constricting band and liquid from the leg. The plastic surgery team of Dr Somnath Karad and Dr Vikram R Wagh, performed a complicated limb salvage surgery and made multiple rotation advancement flaps to drain the accumulated fluid in the leg, according to an official statement issued today by the hospital.

The surgery was taken up on February 14 and post-operation, the limb survived and it started growing similar to the other limb. “One more surgery of bone restructuring is needed which will be done by Dr Shrirang Kulkarni so the limb can take the body weight and become stable. This will be done in the near future. This will further ensure normal gait and walking for the baby. The baby is absolutely healthy and has been discharged. It’s a great success as this is a rare case of Type III amniotic band syndrome where generally babies with cords tightened around the limbs are born with auto amputation of mutilated body parts. It’s important that there is awareness amongst parents that amputation is not the only solution and the limb can be saved if timely & correct treatment is provided,” Dr Vikram Wagh, Plastic surgeon, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital said in the statement.