9-year-old with rare bowleg condition overcomes mobility struggles, set to walk again

New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): A nine-year-old girl from Delhi had never experienced the ability to walk or stand independently. She was born with a rare condition that caused severe bowing of her legs, making mobility a constant struggle from an early age.
Despite undergoing surgery at the age of six, her condition did not improve, and the deformity persisted, making her childhood difficult and limiting her movement.
According to Dr Vikram Khanna, Senior Consultant in Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement at Aakash Healthcare, about the complexity in such cases, "The primary challenge was the non-union of bone ends, meaning the bones did not heal together as expected. Additionally, her bone marrow was very thin, and the overall bone quality was poor, making healing difficult. Even if we managed to treat her, the risk of refracture was extremely high."
"Given these hurdles, the medical team had to carefully weigh all available treatment options. While traditional surgeries like bone plating, nailing, and standalone bone grafting were considered, doctors ultimately decided on a multi-step approach to maximize the child's chances of recovery," he said.
"The surgical procedure the girl underwent addressed multiple aspects of her condition to ensure long-term success. Doctors first removed abnormal tissue growth, known as hamartomas, from both of her legs. Following this, a bone graft was performed to promote healing and provide the necessary structural support," the hospital stated in a statement.
"To stabilize the tibia, a Titanium Elastic Nailing System (TENS) nailing was inserted, and additional support was provided by K-wiring of the fibula. Finally, an Ilizarov external fixator was applied to keep the bones in place and stimulate proper healing," further explained the doctor on treatment.
"The Ilizarov frame was kept on for six months until X-rays confirmed bone union. During this period, we encouraged Ananya to walk with the help of a walker, which helped strengthen her healing bones," said Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Director & Head, Department of Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Aakash Healthcare. (ANI)