Surgeons at Kauvery Hospital performed a complex procedure on a senior citizen’s diabetic foot to prevent amputation recently.According to a press release, the surgical procedure known as a microvascular free flap, that involves transplanting tissue with its blood vessels from one part of the body to a distant site, where it is reconnected to restore the function of the affected organ, was done on an 82-year-old man, who had blood flow in only one of the three major vessels of the foot.The patient’s coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease made surgical intervention particularly challenging, said the release. The foot was at risk of amputation due to severe infection.A team of doctors, led by S. Skanda, head, Plastic Surgery Department, conducted the operation. “We performed a neurotized flap, a highly advanced technique where not only the tissue and its blood supply are transplanted, but the nerves are also reconnected. In this elderly gentleman’s case, who had developed advanced neuropathy with almost no sensation in his foot, the procedure has helped restore feeling,” Dr. Skanda said.The patient was able to fully bear his weight on the foot and return to his daily duties after one-and-a-half months of the surgery, said the release.Published - July 23, 2025 07:27 pm IST