Uganda and Netherlands team reconstruct bones, avert amputations
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A medical team from Uganda and the Netherlands completed 12 bone reconstruction surgeries at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda, preventing patients from needing amputations.
The surgeries addressed severe trauma, open fractures, bone infections, and congenital defects that often result from road traffic accidents. Plastic and orthopaedic surgeons worked together during the procedures, which each lasted three to four hours.
The team repaired bone gaps by transplanting sections of fibula, a smaller bone in the leg, along with its blood vessels, allowing the bone to grow and integrate into the damaged area. They also used skin and muscle grafts to cover open wounds and protect exposed bone, preventing infection and further complications. Dr.
Irene Asaba Mugisha of Mulago Hospital explained that these complex procedures would typically cost patients up to 20 million Ugandan shillings in private healthcare, not including follow-up care, and even more if performed abroad. The camp provided these surgeries free of charge. Dr. Renz Wierper emphasized that training local surgeons to manage open fractures is more important than providing expensive equipment.
