Dr Puloto Yeptho
BIG DILEMMA!!
Does fixing your broken bone with a metal implant causes cancer? Will the metal implant rust? Does the metal implant have to be in the body for a lifetime? Is Kobiraj better than an Orthopaedic Surgeon? Is it expensive to get a broken bone fix by metallic implants?
Don’t worry! It is not only the general public who has such many questions and doubts. Even other medical professionals have the same dilemma and confusion, or little knowledge of what Orthopaedic Surgeons (Bone Specialists) do.
Since the inception of human life on earth, people have had broken bone due to several reasons and may have had instances of healing naturally without a physician’s assistance. Indeed, sometimes nature has its way of healing wounds or mending broken bones over the course of time.
But the question remains…“At what cost?”
Without proper consultation from an Orthopaedic Surgeon the victim risks his mobility. It may cause him to become physically handicapped and bedridden for months or even years causing a huge burden to the family and/or loved ones. The greater risk comes when a patient loses his mobility for a life time. This would additionally pose a greater stress on his mental well-being. He becomes dependent on others throughout his life.
First Sign of Civilization
Years ago, the anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about clay pots, tools for hunting, grinding-stones, or religious artefacts.
But no. Mead said that the first evidence of civilization was a 15,000 years old fractured femur found in an archaeological site. This particular bone had been broken and had healed. A femur is the longest bone in the body, linking the hip to the knee. In societies without the benefits of modern medicine, it takes about six weeks of rest for a fractured femur to heal (depending on the age of the patient). Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger; you cannot drink or hunt for food. Wounded in this way, you are meat for your predators. No creature survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. You are eaten first. A broken femur that has healed is evidence that another person has taken time to stay with the fallen, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended them through recovery. A healed femur indicates that someone has helped a fellow human, rather than abandoning them to save their own life.
So what does an Orthopaedic surgeon do?
There are many things an orthopaedic surgeon does but one of his foremost duties is to nurse a patient to fitness. He aims to make his patient pain-free and mobilize his patient as soon as possible to carry out his day-to-day activities without assistance from others. Not every broken bone needs surgery and metal to fix the bone. Some parts of our body heal perfectly just with a little bit of effort but with accurate setting of bone. (Consult your doctor to know more about this).
Here’s an answers to your dilemmas.
Does fixing your broken bone with a metal implant causes cancer?
No. Fixing your bone with metallic implants will not lead to cancer unless the reason for the broken bone was due to cancer or the patient had cancer that was undiagnosed before surgery.
Will the metal implant rust?
No. Metallic implant use in fixing your bone will not rust. The metal inside your body can be kept for a lifetime. It can also be removed as per the patient’s progress and through assistance from an Orthopaedic surgeon.
Kobiraj better than an Orthopedic surgeon (don’t they do the same thing? Fix broken bones?)
An Orthopaedic surgeon performs a surgery with skills and knowledge learned over the years through careful study from several scientific research and journals designed for the same. accumulated during his specialty and work experience. From every incision of skin, muscle, ligaments to bony injury an Orthopaedic Surgeon skillfully fix his patient(s).
Let me explain over a simple example -sports. Since every breathing Naga enjoy football or are perhaps familiar with names like Ronaldo, Messi and Pele, here’s an instance. What do these famous footballers do when they are injured during the sports? Suppose they had a broken bone, torn ligament or knee injury, do they run to a Kobiraj? Do not be mistaken! They are treated primarily by an Orthopaedic Surgeon.
It’s totally up to you - your choice of treatment but as said, it can leave you handicapped for the rest of your life in case of wrong management which could have been averted with just a simple Orthopaedic consultation. Kobiraj has their own set of profession which they have been practicing since time immemorial and have helped so many people who are not privileged to be seen by an Orthopaedic Surgeon. Do not hesitate to consult your Orthopaedic Surgeon if other treatment modalities fail, it might not be too late to save your limbs.
Million-dollar question: Kiman Poisa Jawo? (Cost of surgery)
Since most of us are not Ronaldo and Messi we can’t afford the cost of hospitalization and surgery and hence kobiraj become our immediate alternative consciously or subconsciously.
But why is Orthopaedic surgery expensive compared to other surgery?
Unlike other surgery Orthopaedic surgeon needs lots of technical support, machinery, and manpower. The prices of expensive metal rods, plates and tools required for an Orthopaedic surgery is not in the hands of a surgeon to decide. Bear in mind that not all injury needs a surgery. Most of the time a simple plaster will do the job. So fear not! Consult an Orthopaedic surgeon immediately in case of physical injury rather than heading straight for other methods of treatment.
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
If you sort out a problem immediately it may save a lot of extra work later. Treatment or surgery at the right time can make a vast impact on your overall quality of life. Rather than being physically dependant on others, why not choose to have your own freedom of movement.
If surgery is required, the type of metal can be broadly divided into Expensive and Non-Expensive type. You can also take help from your Churches/Societies/NGOs, Government schemes like Ayushman Bharat and apply for Medical Health insurance. The cost of surgery may be expensive but you are assured of your wellbeing, and what greater can be compared than a good health.
It is very important to focus on our health as much as we focus on our work. Health is Wealth, and since we only have one life why not be independent citizens on this short journey on earth. I hope I have duly cleared some basic misconceptions and provided some amount of awareness in Orthopaedic.
The writer is MS, DNB Orthopedic Fellowship in Knee & Shoulder, Seoul, South Korea and Junior Consultant, Orthopedic Department CIHSR, Dimapur.
