In a landmark medical achievement, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has successfully reconstructed the distal femur of an accident victim using bone from a deceased donor, marking the first such procedure in eastern India. The complex surgery was carried out by the hospital’s Orthopaedics Department, offering a new lease of life to a critically injured patient.
The recipient, Rizauddin Mandal (31), a worker from Bira in North 24 Parganas, had suffered severe injuries in a lorry accident in 2023. The accident caused extensive damage to the lower portion of his right thigh bone (distal femur), resulting in a major bone defect and an open wound.
Mandal underwent multiple surgeries following the accident. His first operation was conducted in May 2023, followed by plastic surgery in June to cover the wound and another procedure in August. However, doctors found in 2024 that a significant portion of the bone was still missing. An attempt to repair the defect using a graft from his own patellar bone in July 2024 proved unsuccessful.
With limited options remaining, doctors considered either implanting a tumour prosthesis or amputating the leg. Taking into account the patient’s young age and the possibility of preserving knee function, the medical team decided to attempt reconstruction using a cadaveric allograft — a bone transplant from a deceased donor.
Operating surgeon Sunit Hazra said the decision was made after careful evaluation.
“After much discussion and careful examination of the procedure and the possible consequences, we decided to use a cadaveric allograft to reconstruct the distal femur. This process involves transplanting bone from a deceased person,” he said.
Sanjay Kumar, Professor and Head of the Orthopaedics Department, said that fresh donor bone is both expensive and difficult to obtain in Kolkata. Following a request from the medical team, the West Bengal government sanctioned Rs 2.40 lakh to support the patient’s treatment and procurement of the allograft.
To ensure precision, doctors created a 3D model of the patient’s femur using CT scan imaging and sent it to a specialised agency in Chennai to identify a matching donor bone. The allograft was preserved according to strict medical standards and transported to Kolkata through a Green Corridor to ensure timely delivery.
Doctors said the successful reconstruction will enable Mandal to gradually regain mobility while preserving normal knee function.
Expressing his gratitude, Mandal said, “I had never expected I would recover like this. After the surgery, I am fine now. The biggest thing for me is that I can walk again and bend my leg like before.”
Vice-Principal Saptarshi Chatterjee described the surgery as a major milestone for the region. He congratulated the Orthopaedics and Anaesthesia teams, calling the procedure a landmark achievement and the first of its kind in eastern India.
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