The Department of Podiatric Surgery at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences successfully replaced the destroyed foot and ankle bones of a 30-year-old patient with a novel prosthesis using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The surgery was led by Dr Ajit Kumar Varma. The prosthesis was affixed through a surgical technique now known as Amrita Sling Technique.
“The patient developed spinal cord injury due to fall from a height. This caused severe neurological deficit of his lower limbs. In some time, muscle strength of the lower limbs improved and he started walking. But when the bones of the right foot and ankle started bearing weight, they developed Charcot’s destruction as they were osteoporotic. We took three dimensional colour CT images of the patient’s normal foot and ankle on the left side. By creating a mirror image of these pictures, we got an idea about how to repair the damaged right foot and ankle bones.
We made PMMA moulds of the damaged bones, sterilised them by the proper technique and during surgery, implanted them in the patient’s foot. Seven such damaged bones of the patient’s right foot were replaced. By affixing the PMMA prosthesis, we prevented below-knee amputation and improved the quality of life for the patient. Since about one year, he is leading a normal life, earning a living and supporting his family and aged parents,” said Dr Ajithkumar.
The PMMA Replacement Prosthetic Surgeries and Amrita Sling Technique were invented by the Amrita Podiatry Team for reconstructing and stabilizing destroyed Charcot foot and ankle bones.