Patna: A 25-year-old Amazon Bihar head narrowly survived a severe road traffic accident yesterday morning, thanks to swift intervention by the Emergency and Trauma Centre at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna.
The patient was rushed to IGIMS shortly after the accident, presenting with a rare and highly complex polytrauma. Doctors identified a Pipkin Type V femoral head fracture with a posterior wall acetabular fracture, a floating hip (Liebergall classification Type C), and an ipsilateral femoral shaft fracture — a combination that poses significant surgical challenges.
Recognising the critical importance of the “golden hour” in trauma care, the orthopaedics team proceeded with definitive surgical management within 24 hours. Using the Kocher–Langenbeck approach, surgeons reduced and fixed the femoral head fracture with Herbert screws, stabilised the posterior wall with an acetabular plate, and performed femoral shaft interlocking nailing in a single procedure.
The operation was led by Dr Anand Shankar, Dr Ashutosh Kumar, Dr Rakesh Kumar, and Dr Rishabh Kumar, with essential support from the Emergency Medicine and Anaesthesia teams, ensuring seamless perioperative care.
IGIMS Director Dr Bindey Kumar, along with Dr Manish Mandal, praised the team for their exemplary dedication, timely intervention, and effective multidisciplinary coordination.
The successful outcome underscores IGIMS Patna’s commitment to advanced trauma care and rapid response, demonstrating how skilled intervention within the golden hour can be life- and limb-saving.
