VISAKHAPATNAM, September 10, 2026: An eight–year–old girl, Lineesha, who suffered extensive injuries to her right foot in a road accident while returning home from school, has successfully regained the ability to walk following a complex reconstructive surgery at KIMS Hospitals, Seethammadhara, Visakhapatnam.
The girl sustained severe injuries to her right foot, including fractures and extensive damage to the soft tissues, muscles and tendons. The injuries resulted in substantial loss of tissue and left the foot without adequate coverage and protection, making restoration of its normal function a major challenge.
According to Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. K Pavan Venkateswar, they first removed the damaged tissue and thoroughly cleaned the wound. A microsurgical tissue flap procedure was subsequently performed, in which healthy tissue was harvested from the child’s left thigh and transferred to the injured right foot.
The transferred tissue was covered over the damaged area and its blood vessels were connected to vessels in the foot using microsurgical techniques. The procedure helped replace the lost tissue, restore blood supply to the affected area and provide adequate coverage for the underlying structures, including the tendons and bones.
Following the surgery, the child was kept under close medical observation and received specialised post-operative care. She made steady progress and, within a month, was able to walk normally again.
Dr. Pavan Venkateswar said that in cases involving extensive soft-tissue loss in weight-bearing areas such as the foot, a tissue flap can provide better structural coverage and functional outcomes than a conventional thin skin graft. Microsurgical transfer of healthy, well-vascularised tissue can help promote wound healing and provide durable coverage.
He also stressed the importance of multidisciplinary care in complex reconstructive procedures involving children. The specialised paediatric anaesthesia provided by the team led by Dr. Srinivasa Varma and the post-operative care in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) under Dr. Gurupasad played an important role in the child’s recovery, he said.
The child’s parents expressed their gratitude to the medical team for saving their daughter’s foot and helping her regain the ability to walk.
The advances in microsurgery and reconstructive techniques had made it possible to salvage severely injured limbs and help children return to normal activities early.
