Doctors at the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) Teaching Hospital have successfully addressed a deformity in a patient who suffered a fire accident. A dedicated team of orthopedic surgeons, led by Associate Professor Satish Nesari, undertook an operation using Ilizarov techniques to rectify a young girl’s deformed feet. This intervention has enabled her to regain the use of her feet after years of disuse.
The young girl had experienced severe burns during childhood, leading to the contracture of her right ankle and a grotesque deformity that rendered her unable to walk. The fire had twisted her ankle completely, leaving it unused for an extended period. Unfortunately, her parents, facing financial constraints, were unable to afford corrective surgery, subjecting her to social stigma and mockery from friends and relatives due to her visible deformity. The situation even impacted her marital prospects. Despite unsuccessful attempts by her parents to seek treatment, some surgeons had suggested amputation below the knee, an option her parents chose not to pursue.
After several years, the girl’s parents approached the BIMS hospital Belagavi. The orthopaedic department recommended corrective surgery and the application of Ilizarov techniques. The successful implementation of these treatments resulted in the complete correction of the deformity, allowing the patient to walk with near-normalcy.
Dr. Nesari emphasized the effectiveness and cost efficiency of the Ilizarov method, suggesting that patients could opt for it instead of plastic surgery. He also highlighted its ability to bring about structural changes in the underlying bone through neo-histogenesis.
Siddu Hulloli, the Chief Administrative Officer, visited the patient and expressed his overwhelming emotions upon witnessing the joy on the faces of the patient and her relatives. They described it as if the doctors had performed magic on the victim.
The Ilizarov technique, developed by Gavriil Ilizarov in the 1950s, involves using an external fixator apparatus to correct deformities in hands or legs. This method can lengthen or reshape damaged bones and is particularly valuable as a limb-sparing technique for treating complex fractures and open bone fractures, aiding bone union. Dr. Nesari, who is associated with the Association of Surgeons for the Methodology and Application of Ilizarov’s in India (ASAMI), mentioned that ASAMI has granted BIMS a fully funded six-week fellowship program for four orthopaedic surgeons under his mentorship. Such fellowships aim to increase the number of surgeons trained in Ilizarov’s technique.
