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Orthopedic surgeons at Meenakshi Hospital, Thanjavur, restored mobility to a 56-year-old cook, ending his four-year confinement to bed after two implantation surgeries at other hospitals failed to heal his fractured left thigh.
The cook, Mr. Kumar from Thiruvallur district, suffered a subtrochanteric fracture of the left thigh bone—the longest and strongest bone in the human body—after falling from a height at his workplace in 2018. He underwent surgery that year to treat the fracture, but his condition showed no improvement. Enduring severe pain and immobility for another year, he underwent a second implantation procedure at a different hospital. Unfortunately, the outcome remained unchanged. With two failed surgeries offering no relief, he became increasingly depressed.
However, Kumar underwent a third surgery at Meenakshi Hospital, Thanjavur, where orthopedic surgeons performed a five-hour procedure involving bone grafting, removal of the previously implanted screw, and plating to strengthen the affected area. In addition to the complexity of performing multiple procedures in a single sitting, the third surgery was further complicated by the excess weight the patient had gained after spending years bedridden without movement. The patient was more than100 kg when the surgery was performed.
The surgical team was headed by Dr K. Parthiban, Senior Consultant and HOD, Orthopedics Department, Meenakshi Hospital, Thanjavur. Post-surgery, the patient followed a structured physiotherapy regimen, and within six months, the bone had fully fused. Now fully recovered, he has returned to work and is leading a routine life.
In his comments, Dr. Ravichandran, Medical Superintendent, Meenakshi Hospital said, “Redo thigh bone (femur) surgery is a highly complex orthopedic procedure, often performed when initial surgeries fail due to complications like non-union (failure of the bone to heal), malalignment, or implant failure. The success of such revision surgeries requires specialised surgical expertise, advanced medical technology, and meticulous post-operative care. It was only through the collaboration of specialists across multiple fields—orthopedics, cardiology, anesthesiology, physiotherapy and others—that we were able to navigate the complexities of this procedure. Our hospital’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and the expertise of our medical team were crucial in overcoming the challenges, including the patient's excess weight and the risk of heart complications. This case highlights our commitment to using the best of modern medicine to achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients.”
In his comments, Dr K. Parthiban, Senior Consultant and HOD, Orthopedics Department said, “We performed bone grafting, a surgical procedure in which bone tissue is transplanted to repair or replace damaged bone. The graft was taken from the patient’s own body. Operating on the same bone for the third time posed significant risks, particularly with the patient's weight of 100 kg. The excess weight made it challenging to access the surgical site, and there was an added concern of potential heart issues. Additionally, there was considerable blood loss during the surgery, requiring transfusion. However, through careful planning, and expert collaboration, we were able to restore the patient's mobility and improve his quality of life.