New technique at Ras Al Khaimah hospital saves man’s mangled arms

Ras Al Khaimah: Cutting-edge treatment has saved the arms of an Indian man crushed in a car accident.

Doctors at Ras Al Khaimah Hospital used a vacuum procedure for the first time in the UAE to closed the wounds of 40-year-old Gobardhan Reddy, who was resigned to losing his arms after getting run over.

“I sill cannot believe my eyes when I look at my hands, when I first realised what had happened to me I almost lost all hope,” Reddy said.

“I really thought that I would lose my hand after the accident, but after ten days I was very happy to see that my hand is still there and healing,”

Reddy was left with a broken right wrist and several open fractures on his left arm after he was hit by the car in February.

A severe infection picked up at the site of the accident looked to have left doctors with no choice but to amputate.

The orthopedic team at Ras Al Khaimah was able to stabilise the injury to the left arm using an external fixator, but since the skin under the arm was missing, the wounds could not be closed.

But using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) combined with the fixator, Dr John Bera and Dr J.M. Gauer were able to save Reddy’s arms.

VAC is a method that promotes rapid wound-healing which is used as an effective therapy for the management of large, complex, acute wounds as well as chronic wounds that have failed to heal by conventional methods.

“I am delighted we have effectively used vacuum-assisted therapy and for the first time successfully combined it with an external fixator,” Dr Gauer said.

“It was crucial to manage the open fracture, while keeping in mind the prevention of infection, achievement of bony union and restoration of normal function.

“He will still need follow-up treatment with intensive physiotherapy, but it is certain that he will be able to return to work and provide for his family eventually.”

Reddy was discharged from hospital on June 3.