In Lviv, doctors from three cities performed a rare operation — rotational plastic surgery. A patient with bone cancer had her leg sewn backwards, removing the middle part of the limb. Everything was successful.
The Childrenʼs Hospital of St. Nicholas writes about it.
Yuliʼs cancer had spread to her knee joint, so amputation of her leg at a high level might be necessary. In order to keep the limb as functional as possible, doctors from Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Kyiv decided to perform rotational plastic surgery.
Rotational plastic surgery is an operation in children who, due to bone cancer, have part of their leg removed along with the knee, and the lower part of the limb, together with the foot, is turned 180 degrees and sewn to the femur — backwards. Then the foot begins to perform the role of the knee, and this allows for the installation of a functional prosthesis. There is also a possibility to preserve the sensitivity and mobility of the leg.
Yulia has already returned to Ivano-Frankivsk and continues chemotherapy. When her leg is finally healed, the girl will be able to work with a physiotherapist and develop her leg. Then prosthetics will be waiting for her.