Life does not seems less than a burden when a defect occurs in our physical structure due to an accident. But China's Li Hua, dubbed as 'Folding Man', had been in the bent forward state from his waist for more than two decades as he was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis at the very young age. You can see his pre-surgery footage where his face pressed against his thighs.
The incredible efforts and a series of four surgeries by doctors from Shenzhen University General Hospital in South China's Guangdong Province have made Li Hua, who was suffering from an aggressive form of arthritis, able to stand upright after 28 years. The whole surgery went through 4 different phases in which doctors broke and rebuilt Li Hua's entire spine. Post-operative images released by the hospital show Li's entire body having been opened up, allowing him to lie flat, sit up and even stand straight for the first time in 28 years...
46-year-old Li was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in 1991 at the young age of 18 when severe pain in his joints forced him to become hunchbacked. His condition deteriorated over the years and his posture got worse until his upper body eventually folded into his lower limb. But his family didn't have enough money to treat him.
we can't even imagine this kind of pain but Li Hua remained in this condition for more than two decades. Where 3 part of his body were connected- his chin to his chest, his breast bone to his pubic bone and his face to his thigh bone. There was only a 5-centimetre (2-inch) gap between his chin and thighs. Doctors said this posture could put pressure on Li's heart and lungs, causing organ dysfunction.
 |
| Li before his diagnosis |
For the past five years his condition got worsened. He was unable to sit upright, he had to eat and drink facing downwards. Even at the age of 40, Li Hua was completely dependent on his mother for everything from eating and drinking to defecation. Li Hua had lost all hopes of getting back his normal physical state as doctors said that any surgery can prove to be a high risk for his life.
Now his two-decade-long wait to stand straight has finally ended. Professor Tao Huiren, the head of the spinal surgery and orthopaedics department at Shenzhen University General Hospital decided to go ahead with the surgeries despite knowing there was a significant life risk. However, Professor Tao had previously performed surgery on other 'folding patients'. But, a case as serious as Li Hua had never come before him.
According to TimesNownews.com report, Professor Tao said "Our only option was to break his bones one section at a time - femur, cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae - and then straighten his entire spinal column. The risks involved were 20 to 30 times that of a regular spinal surgery patient, and the chances of him becoming a paraplegic were also very high, The surgeries were successful and Li's entire body has now opened up, allowing him to stand straight and even lie flat. He has evens started to move with the help of a walker." It took Dr Tao 2 weeks to plan Li Hua's surgery.
The hospital described Li's case as the surgical equivalent of summiting Mount Everest. It was the first time such severe spinal deformities have been corrected in China.
Li said: "There would've been no cure for me without Doctor Tao. He's my saviour, and my gratitude to him is second only to my mother."
What is Ankylosing Spondylitis ?
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a long-term condition in which the spine and other areas of the body become inflamed.
AS tends to first develop in teenagers and young adults. It is twice as common in men as women, according to the NHS. The symptoms of AS can vary, but usually involve:
back pain and stiffness, pain and swelling in other parts of the body – caused by inflammation of the joints (arthritis) and inflammation where a tendon joins a bone (enthesitis), extreme tiredness.
 |
| Li Hua underwent four surgical procedures at the Shenzhen University General Hospital |
These symptoms tend to develop gradually, usually over several months or years, and may come and go over time. In some people the condition gets better with time, but for others it can get slowly worse. There's no cure for AS and it's not possible to reverse the damage caused by the condition. However, treatment is available to relieve the symptoms and help prevent or delay its progression. Surgery is sometimes needed to repair significantly damaged joints or correct severe bends in the spine.
Image credit: Asia Wire
0 Comments