Five-year-old’s fragile bones fixed with ‘seekh kabab surgery’

Little Vishal Yadav suffered his first fracture in 2006. That was the year he turned one. At five now, he has already had more than 25 fractures on his hands and legs. “I have lost count,” says Surekha, his mother, a Vashi resident and housewife. She can afford a smile now.

Vishal, diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta — a congenital disorder that makes bones extremely fragile — may soon be able to walk. Any attempt to sit, stand up and walk had earlier resulted in stress fractures on his hands, thigh bones and the shins.
Thanks to a series of surgeries, called the ‘seekh kabab procedure’, performed by Dr Atul Bhaskar, paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, Bombay Hospital, he is set for a new lease of life. “I see two to three cases of osteogenesis imperfecta every year. However, one such severe instance comes in ten lakh cases,” said Bhaskar.

Vishal underwent the first surgery on his left femur (thigh bone) in September 2009. “I made multiple cuts - three to four of them — on the bone and inserted a rod in the femur. Since he is a child, we had to fit in a special thin rod of about 3.5 mm diameter, which would negotiate his bone and help strengthen it,” said Bhaskar.
The next surgery was conducted in October 2009, when a similar rod was inserted in the right femur.

Bhaskar then performed two more surgeries in January and February this year on Vishal’s left and right tibia (shin bone). “In the case of such procedures, there is a huge risk of blood loss,” he said.

After a few sessions of physiotherapy, Vishal will be able to walk and his bones will become stronger, said the orthopaedist. However, as he continues to grow, the rods will need to be changed. “He will need more surgeries in the coming years. In another two years, we will insert telescopic rods in his bones,” Bhaskar said.

Vishal’s parents, who are Mathadi workers, are relieved. “My son may not be able to participate in sports but at least he will be able to go to school now,” said Surekha. She said Vishal had just started learning to walk when his leg bone gave in. “He was treated several times for fractures after that,” she added. The awareness in such cases is very low. “If the child is brought at the initial stage, a drug - intravenous pamidronate - can be administered to strengthen the bones,” said Bhaskar. People with this condition are usually short in stature. Fracture incidents decrease as they grow older, the doctor said. Vishal will undergo another surgery this week where rods will be inserted in the left hand.