CMCH’s in-house artificial limb centre fits its first prosthetic leg on woman

COIMBATORE: The in-house artificial limb centre in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has successfully fitted its first prosthetic leg on a 40-year-old woman.
The centre released a video as part of Independence Day celebrations where in the woman was seen taking up her first physiotherapy session with the new prosthetic leg.
The woman’s ankle was severely damaged due to uncontrolled and severe diabetes. She lost her ability to walk after her heel bone on left leg was removed a year ago. One of her toes too was removed.
Director of orthopedic institute at CMCH Dr Vetrivelchezhian said, “The artificial limb centre was set up to ensure all our amputees get the ‘independence’ to perform their own functions and duties and return to work. The woman’s measurements were taken last week, and we created a mould for her prosthetic leg. Once we were satisfied with the mould, we then created the prosthetic using polypropylene, the most sought-after material for light weight calipers. On Friday, it was prepared and ready for a fitting.”
The limb centre planned to discharge the woman only once she is able to walk comfortably without a walker.
Stating that the woman worked at a mill for Rs 250 a day, CMCH dean Dr P Kalidas said, “We want her to get back to work or at least find another comfortable job that pays her a good salary. The 10-bedded artificial limb centre that was recently inspected by health minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar and local administration minister S P Velumani, now has at least 10 amputees, who lost their limbs over the last one year. We plan to create limbs for them. For now, we will focus on fitting lower limbs and then move to upper limbs.”
The hospital has at least 10 patients undergoing amputation due to accidents or diabetes every month.
“After we amputate them, patients go home and are completely dependent on their families,” said Dr S Vetrivelchezhian.
The district disability welfare department and district social welfare department does give amputees prosthetics under the state scheme for artificial limbs, but they have provided limbs for only 50 to 60 people so far because it depends on fund allotment.
"Getting an artificial limb in our centre requires no submission of extra documents. The limb creation and physiotherapy are covered under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. We received Rs 50 lakh as reimbursements from the scheme for the many surgeries we performed," he added.