The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Doctors rejoin boy’s elbow

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Wednesday, Jun 11, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Doctors rejoin boy’s elbow

G.V. Ramana Rao

- PHOTO: RAJU. V.

Memorable gift: Tarun at a press conference after his operation in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

VIJAYAWADA: This is the story of two parents, who won’t give up on their son who got his right hand cut in a bus accident. They were able to give him the best gift, a ‘new’ hand, on his birthday on Tuesday.

Tarun’s elbow, which was sticking out of an RTC bus window, was almost severed into two in an accident. His forearm hung to the shoulder by skin and a little flesh.

Fortunately, the boy’s hand could be saved, thanks to advances in orthopaedics.

The accident happened in Jaggayyapet on May 23. The bus conductor and driver called 108 and left the boy to his fate.

A friend, who was accompanying him brought him to Vijayawada in the ambulance and admitted him to an orthopaedic hospital here, where the doctors told his parents that they would not be able to save the hand and it would be better amputate it.

Not giving up, the parents consulted different orthopaedicians in the city and shifted the boy to Trust Hospital after talking to joint replacement expert U. Venkataramana.

Trust Hospital doctors performed two operations, each of three-hour duration, to save the hand. They reconstructed the boy’s elbow using a titanium implant.

Dr. Venkataramana said on Tuesday that they had to implant a custom-built titanium elbow joint to set the bones of the hand.

In another six weeks, the metal frame (used instead of plaster of paris) could be removed. After a few weeks of physiotherapy then, Tarun’s hand would be as good as new, he said.

The boy would be able to use his hand normally in the future with a bit of care ofcourse..

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