A joint team of Ugandan and Dutch specialists has performed 12 complex bone reconstruction surgeries at Mulago National Referral Hospital, helping patients with severe injuries avoid life-altering amputations.
The procedures were conducted during a specialised orthoplastic camp aimed at improving the treatment of open fractures while strengthening local expertise among plastic and orthopaedic surgeons.
Dr Irene Asaba Mugisha, head of Mulago’s Plastic Surgery Unit, said on October 8 that the surgeries benefited patients with severe trauma, bone gaps and wounds that could otherwise lead to limb loss.
The operations, which lasted three to four hours each, involved transferring bone and tissue from the fibula, a smaller lower-leg bone, to repair damaged areas. Surgeons also used muscle and skin tissue to cover exposed bones and help wounds heal.
The initiative combines specialised treatment with hands-on training to build Uganda’s capacity to manage complex bone injuries caused by road accidents, infections and congenital conditions.
