Chennai: The microvascular surgery technique has come as a boon to plastic surgery and has extensive application in trauma, cancer reconstruction and in peripheral nerve surgeries, said Gleneagles Global Health City Institute of Plastic Aesthetic and Cosmetic Surgery head, Dr Selva Seetharaman.
He was speaking at a press conference here recently to discuss the successful surgery on a 29-year-old IT professional who met with an accident.
The patient, Dasarathi Jawahar, was hit by an earthmover. He was pushed off his bike and there was a partial run over by the vehicle over his right foot near his workplace a year ago.
Describing his condition, a press release said, “He had a large wound on the medial and anterior aspect of the foot and lower leg measuring approximately 35*12 cm. The foot bones were exposed and were unstable. The blood vessels to the toes were damaged due to the impact and the viability of the toes was precarious.”
The surgery was headed by Dr Selva Seetharaman and a team of surgeons from the hospital.
“We considered amputating due to the nature of injury and status of infection during course of the treatment and to avoid any further complications, but we continued with cleaning procedures and appropriate antibiotics which cleared the infection and the foot was finally out of danger. The successful outcome of the procedure and salvage of the foot was because of the immediate cleaning procedure and the microvascular free tissue transfer,” said Dr Selva Seetharaman.
There was loss of some bones in the ankle and foot. Stability was achieved with external rods and pins inserted into the bones, which were removed after the tissues healed. He underwent prolonged physiotherapy, was made to walk with support of a boot and now, he is back to his day-to-day activities, the release said.
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