Doctors save woman’s foot from amputation

CHENNAI: Gleneagles Global Health City (GGHC) successfully treated the leg of a 52-year-old woman who recently recovered from COVID-19 and had developed thrombosis (blood clots) in the arteries of her right leg, which led to severe ischemia and imminent gangrene of foot. This would have resulted in eventual amputation of leg if not treated effectively on time. 

The Pollachi resident had tested positive for COVID-19 and underwent two weeks of treatment at a local hospital. She later developed leg pain and soon her leg worsened. She was brought to GGHC with severe pain, lack of sensation and absent pulses in her right leg. Her toes were dusky with features of imminent gangrene. Her pre-existing diabetes and obesity worsened the arterial blood clot formation, mainly because of Covid infection, and caused resistance to various therapies, raising the risk for amputation of leg and other serious complications. 

CT scan and angiogram revealed that she had developed blood clots in the blood vessels to her right leg, post her Covid recovery. Additionally, the reports also showed another blood clot in aorta, the major blood vessel which carries blood from the heart to other organs.  

A team of doctors from GGHC including Dr I Rajkumar, senior consultant - vascular surgeon, Dr Madhurima, senior anaesthetist performed a surgical procedure to remove the clots through incisions in the right groin and behind the knee. She was administered anticoagulation medications along with other treatments for her condition to stabilise. Since she was recovering from Covid, she was assessed by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors comprising a diabetologist, a cardiologist and a pulmonologist. 

“The challenging aspect here was to salvage the leg in patient with recent Covid infection who had presented to us very late. The patient had a speedy recovery, and her sensation, pulses and circulation of blood were restored quickly after the procedure. She started walking with support on the third day after her surgery. She went back home after a week with her foot and toes intact,” said Dr Rajkumar.