Dr T K Sahi, Honorary Surgeon, J J Hospital, Mumbai, has pioneered the Treatment Management and Salvage of Limbs, in cases of vascular disease and diabetics. Her innovative surgical techniques and unique treatment strategies have saved the limbs of hundreds of people, and given new hope and life to millions. Dr (Professor) TK Sahi had dedicated a major part of her life and skills to saving limbs that would otherwise have been amputated. In the process of doing this work, she has devised several `new surgical operations' and `unique strategies' which help to save even those limbs that were given up for amputations, after all the presently available and latest of the treatment methods were tried and failed.

Recognition for her work in limb salvaging came from the `World Congress 2000' of the International College of Surgeons which concluded in Suntec City at Singapore on October 12, 2000. "I have the answer for limb salvage in the end-stages of peripheral vascular disease. Amputations can be avoided and limbs saved. I want to convey this message through my work,'' says Dr Sahi.

"When the first limb is struck with vascular disease, with or without diabetes, the limbs can be saved by `Revascularization by Omental Transfer' which is my innovation. After the first afflicted limb has been saved by this technique, if the person suffers from affliction of the second limb, then the second limb too can be saved by an operation. This is another new operation devised and successfully practised by me for the last 11 years. In cases where both the legs are infected with the disease at the same time, the end result would unfortunately be loss of limbs, one at a time. Amputation of both the legs-one at a time, has been the plight of many people. But it need not be so, as even such limbs have been saved by my new operation of `Bilateral Simultaneous Revascularization of both limbs.' Besides these, I have devised 3 new operations,'' claims Dr Sahi.

Dr Sahi has a new multifaceted approach for the treatment and management of diabetic limbs. The work succeeds in saving diabetic limbs that would otherwise easily be lost to amputations. She has devised new strategies for the understanding and management of the diabetic foot, resulting in the saving of such limbs. `` I have designed my own instruments too, with which I can achieve the desired results. I have dedicated my work and labour to alleviate human suffering. The path was untrodden, therefore the task was laborious but the results are gratifying. For years together I was working against resistance, condemnation and rebuke."

" Awareness about the early signs and symptoms will make people seek help in the early stages of the disease and that will definitely make all the difference not only in the end results achieved, but also in the extent of tissue loss and the duration for which dressings will continue,'' advises Dr Sahi.

Dr Sahi further adds that some early indicators of the disease include discoloration of a toe or toes, a minor injury that refuses to heal, a small dark patch on the foot or leg, a non-healing ulcer inspite of treatment, cramps in the leg or legs which may appear on walking some distance. Subsequently, the pain might not get relieved on resting but persist throughout and even at rest (called rest pain). Some people may develop frank gangrene, others manifest gagrene with rest pain and some without it. Rest pain is so agonising that inspite of any number of medicines, the patient does not get relief .

"Not all patients with vascular insufficiency need to be subjected to surgery. Also all patients with blocked arteries will not benefit from a bypass, but all patients irrespective of the nature of arterial disease and even those that do not benefit benefit by bypass will benefit from my innovative technique,'' says Dr Sahi.

``I express my gratitude to all those who understand my work, appreciate it and have conferred recognition in the form of the Best Research Paper at the World Congress 2000 of the international college of surgeons,'' says Dr Sahi.

e-mail: sahitk@hotmail.com
Author: Mani D'Mello