Mohali doctors treat Iraqi war veterans

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19

Abdullah Obaid Wais, 26, is one of the 15-odd soldiers from Iraq who was operated upon at Fortis Hospital in Mohali.

The Iraqi soldiers had come all the way from their war-torn country to get back to their normal way of life after suffering serious injuries during the civil war that had plagued Iraq.

The treatment given to the Iraqi soldiers here involved best possible option from amputation to reconstruction. A cross specialty team of doctors treating them included Dr Ashis Pathak from neurosurgery, Dr AS Prabhu from plastic surgery and Dr Ajay Singh Bhambhri from orthopedics surgery.

Dr Pathak said Wais’s left upper limb was injured following a gunshot wound in December 2016. Subsequently, he was operated at Lebanon but had difficulties holding things with his left hand. He underwent brachial plexus surgery whereby the nerves were dissected free from entanglement. His shrapnel were also removed and was now recovering well. The muscle and nerve entrapment was freed from the scar contracture.

Another war hero, Amar Sajid’s (23) entire right upper limb was completely dysfunctional for one year. He had surgery of fractured clavicle bone which had been fixed with plate and screws in the past. He underwent a total re-exploration of the brachial plexus, 

including revision of his fractured clavicle.

“The initial damage and surgery done abroad were revised. All his trapped nerves were freed and trans-passed into normal anatomy. The patient started moving his right upper limb from the very first operative day. His sensation of right upper limb has returned and is recovering fast,” he said.

Ali Mezher had a bullet injury in the left arm, which tore apart his brachial artery. This meant to supply blood to the limb. An initial repair of the blood vessel was done in Iraq after which he noticed to losing left hand grip. 

His damaged vessel and surrounding nerves were plastered in a dense scar. After 10 hours of grueling surgery, the trapped nerves were dissected free from scar and normal anatomy was restored. He can now move his fingers and hold soft balls and empty glasses.

“Many patients from Iraq have been visiting the hospital recently. Most of these cases are clinically complicated where expert intervention is required. We have provided them the best possible treatment to arrest any deterioration,” Dr Pathak added.