8-year-old accident victim walks again after complex reconstructive surgery

An eight-year-old girl, who suffered serious injuries to her right foot in a road accident while returning home from school, has regained the ability to walk following complex reconstructive surgery at KIMS Hospitals, Seethammadhara in Visakhapatnam.

According to the hospital release, the girl sustained fractures and extensive damage to to the soft tissues, muscles and tendons of her right foot. The injuries resulted in substantial tissue loss, leaving the foot without adequate cover and protection, making restoration of its normal function a major challenge.

Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. K. Pavan Venkateswar, said: “We first removed the damaged tissue and cleaned the wound thoroughly. Then a microsurgical tissue flap procedure was performed, in which healthy tissue was harvested from the child’s left thigh and transferred to the injured right foot.”

“The transferred tissue was placed over the damaged area and its blood vessels were connected to vessels in the foot using microsurgical techniques. The procedure helped replace the lost tissue, restore blood supply to the affected area and provided adequate coverage for the underlying tendons and bones,” he added.

The child made steady progress and was able to walk normally within a month.