New Delhi: The bone health crisis is a major health burden across the world. In India people across all age groups suffer from one or the other bone health issue. The condition has significantly surged in almost all age populations due to multiple factors like nutritional deficiencies, lifestyle factors and certain medical reasons. Besides this, there are numerous myths around bone health treatments, one of them is bone regeneration.
Contrary to the common myth that an infected bone cannot heal, the truth is that bone is living tissue, capable of regeneration if provided with the right environment—including proper biology, stability, and eradication of infection. Dr Srivatsa Subramanya, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon at Vasavi Hospital shared with News9, a case study about his patient, Shankar who woke up in the hospital, disoriented and in excruciating pain.
Dr Subramanya explained, “His left leg was severely injured, with a large, bleeding wound. The memories of colliding with a speeding car while riding his bike on the highway slowly came back to him. Shankar, who was supposed to get married the following month and had just started a new job, saw his life unravel in a matter of seconds. He had suffered a compound fracture of the shin bone (tibia), a severe injury where the bone not only breaks but also pierces through the skin, exposing it to a high risk of infection. Shankar was once advised by another hospital to undergo amputation, which would have allowed him to walk with a prosthetic limb. However, Shankar was determined not to give up. Hence, he sought the expertise of a bone reconstruction specialist.”
Debunking the myth
After careful assessment and planning, a team of plastic and limb reconstruction surgeons operated on him. The compound fracture had severely compromised the blood supply to the bone, leading to a high risk of infection and complicating the healing process.
“Over the following six months, Shankar underwent five surgeries, with external fixators (rods and pins) holding his bones in place. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the bone failed to heal due to a persistent infection. Then, the experts removed 9cm of infected bone, stabilised the fracture with an interlocking nail, and used antibiotic-coated beads to prevent the infection from returning. A muscle flap was used to restore blood supply, and Shankar was able to walk the very next day, albeit with a frame. Six weeks later, the infection had cleared, but Shankar still faced a 9 cm gap in his bone. To regenerate the bone, he underwent bone grafting, where a mixture of his bone, taken from his waist, and synthetic bone was placed in the void. In a few months, the fracture had healed, and Shankar was able to walk again without support, ” added Dr Subramanya.
Dr Subramanya further noted that Shankar’s recovery is a remarkable example of how even severely infected bones can heal with the right medical approach. Today, Shankar is not only back on his feet but also proud of his scars, which serve as a reminder of his determination and resilience. He never misses an opportunity to show them off, grateful that he never lost hope.
Bone health crisis has significantly surged in almost all age populations due to multiple factors like nutritional deficiencies, lifestyle factors and certain medical reasons. Besides this, there are numerous myths around bone health treatments, one of them is bone regeneration. Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
