By a staff reporter

Kathmandu, Aug. 23: A team of orthopaedic surgeons at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan has successfully applied Ilizarov ring fixator to a thirteen year old girl suffering from pathological bone fracture and enabled her to walk normally again. The surgery has been performed for the first time outside the capital. The versatile Ilizarov fixator device can be used to lengthen bones, correct unsightly limb deformities and heal fractures which fail to unite after conventional procedures.

Arti Kumari, a class five school girl from Madhubani, Bihar (India) had developed severe bone infection (acute osteomyelitis) of the right thigh bone. She was kept in plaster for two months. The infection softened the bone considerably to such an extent that about a month ago, while turning in bed, she broke her right thigh bone (pathological fracture).

Since the fracture occurred in a diseased (infected) bone, conventional modality of treatment was less likely to succeed in healing the fracture. Therefore, this revolutionary technique perfected by the late Russian orthopaedic surgeon, Professor G.A. Ilizarov and called the ring fixator, was applied. The patient, who was bedridden for three months, is again able to stand on her feet.

The team of orthopaedic surgeons, that made the surgery successful, was headed by Dr. Shishir Lakhey and assisted by Dr. Pranjal Mahanta and Dr. Bhanu Shanker Gupta.

The recent success will enable poor patients to get access to this sophisticated surgery with minimal cost, says the hospital administration.

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