Bone bank at GRH helps 15-year-old cancer patient avoid amputation
A 15-year-old girl in Madurai successfully avoided leg amputation thanks to a bone graft provided by the Government Rajaji Hospital's bone bank. The facility, established in 2021, has helped nearly 200 patients recover from severe bone-related injuries and diseases.
Why it matters
It highlights the critical role of specialized medical infrastructure in improving patient outcomes and the ongoing need for public awareness regarding bone donation.
A 15-year-old girl battling osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, successfully underwent a procedure which saved her legs with the help of a graft from the bone bank at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, P.V. Thirumalai Murugan, Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and in charge of the bone Bank at Madurai Medical College, attributed successful surgery to the availability of the hospital’s bone bank.
He noted that while it would take time for the patient to walk normally again, saving her leg was a major victory, as amputation was typically the standard treatment for this condition.
Dr. Murugan noted that while bone transplants were crucial for saving damaged or diseased limbs, public awareness about bone donation remains low. Established in 2021, the bone bank at Madurai GRH is the second such facility in the State, following the government hospital in Chennai.
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