IAF soldier’s arm saved from amputation in Orthopedic surgery in India

JAIPUR (TIP): In a remarkable feat of medical breakthrough in India, an Indian Air Force soldier who sustained a gunshot wound in his right humerus (the long bone connecting the shoulder to the elbow) was saved from amputation, and shortening, and his arm was saved through constructive surgery by an orthopedic Ian Jaipur’s Eternal Hospital Sanganer recently.

Dr. Rohil Singh Kakkar, a Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon at EHS successfully performed a rare and complex arm-saving surgery in Kishangarh on an Indian Air Force personnel who had sustained severe injuries. Kakkar told TIP that the patient, 32-year-old Jitendra Singh Rathore, suffered a critical injury while on duty, sustaining a gunshot wound that shattered his right humerus(the long bone connecting the shoulder to the elbow).The injury resulted in a severely displaced and comminuted humeral shaft fracture, associated with a 22×15 cm wound and a 10 cm segmental bone loss. After receiving initial emergency care at a military hospital, the attending doctors recommended either amputation or shortening of the arm due to the extent of the damage, Kakkar said.

Seeking alternative solutions, the patient’s family consulted Dr. Kakkar, who, after assessing the case, proposed a highly challenging reconstructive surgery that could potentially save the arm.

Dr. Kakkar explained that detailed preoperative planning, including CT scans and X-rays, was undertaken to accurately assess the extent of bone loss and the fracture pattern. A 12-centimeter fibula bone graft was harvested from the patient’s right leg to bridge the defect in the humerus. The procedure involved the meticulous removal of metal debris and dead bone fragments from the arm—a particularly risky step due to the proximity of major nerves and blood vessels. For reconstruction, a custom-made 100 mm titanium spinal mesh cage was utilized, engrafted with an autologous fibular graft and modified hydroxyapatite blocks, and mechanically stabilized with a long plate and screws.

Overwhelmed by the success of the surgery, the surgeon stated that this is the first documented case in the state of Rajasthan and probably in India where a customized 100 mm spinal cage implant, combined with a fibular graft, was used to reconstruct a humerus.

The surgery was a resounding success, and supportive physiotherapy for the patient’s right arm commenced the very next day. This achievement not only saved Jitendra’s arm but also marked a new milestone in complex orthopedic surgery in the region, he claimed.

Meanwhile, Dr. Samin K. Sharma, Chairman, Eternal Hospital asserted, “This is an outstanding achievement by Dr. Kakkar and his team. Saving the arm of a young Air Force soldier in such a complex case shows great surgical skill and dedication. We are proud of our doctors who are constantly raising the standards of medical care. ”