NEW LEGS FOR OLD.
The solid practical value of the new plastic surgery experiments .is shown in the almost incredible transplantation of a knee joint from art' amputated leg to n living one. Whole joints have been cut. away and new ones made to lake their place perfectly. It has even been Possible to take the joint from a left leg and make it do duty in the right leg of it patient. Sometimes the kneu joint is not in such bad condition as to warrant complete re J moval, It may be that only a thin veneer of the mucous lining needs to be renewed to make a stilt joint as flexible as ever.
Professor' Erich Lexer, director of the Hoyal Surgical University Clinic and Polyclinic of Konigsbcrg, Prussia, has now placed on record how! he gave an eighteen-year-old girl a «ew knee joint from the leg of an old man which, was amputated on account of senile, gangrene.
Strangely enough the aged bone had mucous membrane, which would have died in the old man's system, took on health and life in the flesh and nourished with the blood of the girl. Yet the same flesh and blood hull been powerless to keep in health the knee that nature originally placed within if. 'the patient suffered from stilt knee, or what is medically known us bony anchylosis of the joint. Not only «as the joint immovable, but it had become fixed in a doubled up position, which made it uncomfortable to sleep or sit, a'"' impossible to walk. Dr. Lexer opened up a flap of skin below the knee and lifted it back until Ihe joint was laid bare, His next step was to get the kneecap out of the way. This done he removed the upper and lower ends of the bones where they meet, removing jn till a length of bone and joint as wide "as three lingers.''
Then, like ;i cabinet-maker repairing ft delicate piece (it furniture, lie stepped to a nearby operating table on which lay an old man in whom old age had caused gangrene of the leg to set in. The gangrene had progressed so far Unit it was necessary to niii|»i!«tc- (he whole of one leg. Fortunately for the girl, the man's joints were still in good condition. i)r. Lexer's assistants had removed the flesh from the joint of the old J man and everything was ready for j the surgeon to measure oil and cut (out the joint and as much of the I hone us would exactly replace that i already removed from the girl. J The joint was carefully fitted to I the girl's leg and the hones found to jI:C too large. N'ot upset by this, ; Dr. Lexer trimmed them down to the size of the feminine bones and inserted them. All that remained to ihe do'ie now was to close up the I wound after replacing the knee cap ! and the nerves, veins and arteries.
i To insure that the patient would ' not move her leg and break things up like a mended dish on which the. ■ "skcjUik" bus'not hud lime to ] harden, a plaster cast running from Mho iocs to (lie hip was placed about the Vimb. 'VVic woww\ \wa\e& smoothly, and niter seven weeks the j cast was taken oil. ; Under the pressure oS the surgeon's fingers the bones seemed to ' have knitted perfectly, so it was de- • cided to risk a test. Gently licnd- '• iHif the knee and straightening it again a fraction of an inch evcry- , tiling worked well. Greater and ,p- enter flexions of the knee were ! trial until the leg was doubled, | without .pain, or sign of anything I wrong. j The patient was then permitted to I bend the knee herself by her own jlcg muscles. Again everything was Uiicessinl, One last test, walking j upon it, remained to be Ivied. For jseveral days it was necessary to I exercise and strengthen the muscles Of the limb which had become shruni ken from the enforced inaction of ! the cast. The joint lore the weight jof the body and walking was _as j easy as if it were the joint with •which she was lo;n. Continued standing caused a (lull ache in the I mucous surfaces of the joint.
As time wore on the girl was able to stand longer and longer on the knee without discomfort. Pr. Lexer is confident that in a f ew months one knee will serve the patient as well as the other, and allow her to indulge in the luxury of a good 'valk.-'Topular Science Sittings."
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Bibliographic details
North Otago Times, 22 May 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)
Word Count
771NEW LEGS FOR OLD. North Otago Times, 22 May 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)
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