22-Year-Old Walks Again After Being Crippled For 11 Years  

New Delhi: A 22-year-old man, who had been crippled after an accident 11 years ago, started walking on his own again after a series of surgeries at a city hospital.

Gaurav Sharma had met with a major accident in January 2005 when he was going to attend a family function in Uttar Pradesh. Sharma, then 11-year-old, saw his uncle and cousin die in front of him and later, he also lost his mother while he was in the ICU.

Mentally and physically traumatised, he went through eight surgeries in the initial years which left him with a crutch, a fused hip and short left leg.

After years, Dhananjay Gupta, Director of Orthopaedics, Spine, Joint Reconstruction and Replacement Surgeon at Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj, suggested a series of surgeries in an effort to make him fully movable.

Gaurav Sharma had met with a major accident in January 2005 when he was going to attend a family function in Uttar Pradesh

On May 5, 2016 Gaurav underwent his first surgery at the hospital and his final surgery was on September 9, when he was completely able to walk without support. Now Gaurav is undergoing physiotherapy to increase his muscle strength.

Gupta said, "There were a few key challenges. There was already a nail in his thigh bone preventing the placement of a hip prosthesis. In the first stage, the plan was to take out the nail from the thigh bone and then open the hip joint."

"Implant removal is always more challenging. Gaurav's case was also complicated as he already had multiple surgeries. After a month of successful hip-replacement surgery, he started complaining of fever and a small limp. An ultrasound suggested a localised abscess in the muscular plane," added Gupta.

Gaurav again underwent removal of all the implants as his infection level was high and units of blood were transfused along with specific antibiotics to help body fight infections.

"Once the infection settled, patient was again taken for hip arthroplasty surgery. This time the surgery was much smoother and swifter as his hip joint was already open and there was time to plan the implants and their placement," he said.

The post-op procedure went as planned and Gaurav was allowed full weight bearing from day one. All investigations are normal now post six months after the surgery. Gaurav now walks unaided with a slight limp.

PTI