Chennai: A team of doctors at Fortis Malar Hospital performed a challenging multiple fragment surgery on an elbow of a 70 years old lady with multiple co-morbidities including COVID-19. The patient also had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Diabetes and Hypertension. The patient suffered the fractured elbow after a fall and was immediately rushed to the hospital. The treating team and surgery was led by Dr NandkumarSundaram, Chief of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Fortis Malar Hospital.

Explaining the patient’s condition, Dr NandkumarSundaram said “Mrs.Saraswathy was rushed to the Fortis Malar ICU in a state of high fever and extreme breathlessness and was thereby was put on high-pressure support in order to sustain her normal breathing. It took three weeks of intensive care for her to get fit to undergo a complicated multiple fragment surgery. The most common complication one sees with this kind of a shattered elbow is joint stiffness andour aim is to attain full mobility and healing of the fracture without any neuro vascular complications.”

Commenting on the surgery, Dr NandkumarSundaramsaid “The surgery was done under the help of a tourniquet of the upper arm. The same was done to cut the blood supply and help us operate with a clear vision. Taking the COVID-19 situation into consideration, the patient was carefully placed in a face down position and the ulna bone was divided and reflected back with the muscle to expose the elbow joint from the back without damaging the nerves and vessels. The bone was osteoporotic and was carefully fixed on both sides with a plate without creating any further fractures. As the elbow joint is a complicated joint to operate on, we were still able to successfullyfix the fracture. My sincere thanks to the team of highly experienced critical care doctors and anaesthetists as well who aided in bringing patient back to normalcy

Commenting on her recovery, Mrs Saraswathy said,“My condition has improved immensely post the elbow surgery and I am now able to move around with confidence and at ease. I thank the expert team of doctors at Fortis Malar Hospital for having completely restored my mobility and giving me a second chance at life”