16-Year-Old Cyclist Makes Miraculous Comeback after Complex Knee Surgery at Apollo Hospitals OMR
Chennai, 10 April 2025: Apollo Hospital s, OMR,
Successfully performed a highly comple x knee reconstruction surgery on a 16-y ear-old male patient who sustained a cri tical open fracture of the patella (kneec ap) following a road traffic accident. The patient, a promising cyclist, made a rem arkable recovery and won a silver medal at the National Under-16 Cycling Cham pionship held in Puri, Odisha—an extrao rdinary outcome that underscores the cl inical excellence and multidisciplinary a pproach at Apollo Hospitals.
The young patient was brought to Apoll o OMR hospital with a severely commin uted fracture of the patella caused by a motorcycle accident in which he was rid ing pillion. The injury involved multiple bone fragments along an oblique sheari ing plane, with the added complication o f mud and debris contaminating the ope n wound. Given the complexity of the fr acture and the risk of infection, urgent s urgical intervention was deemed necess ary to preserve joint function and preve nt long-term disability.
A multidisciplinary team at Apollo Hosp itals, OMR, led by Dr. Venkataramanan S waminathan from the orthopaedic surg ery department and supported by Plasti c Surgeon Dr. Kumaresan, undertook th e emergency procedure on the night of admission. The surgical team meticulou usly realigned and fixed the fragmented patella, capitalizing on the patient’s favo orable bone quality to achieve an optim al reduction. Concurrently, soft tissue d ebridement and coverage were perform ed to restore anatomical integrity and r educe the risk of post-operative complic ations.
Dr. Venkataramanan Swaminathan, Seni or Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Apo llo OMR Hospitals, said, “The nature of t his injury made it a high-stakes situation n. The patella is vital for cyclists, and wit h the bone shattered and contaminated, achieving anatomical reduction and rest oring function was particularly challeng ing. The boy’s determination, combined with our surgical precision, helped make this recovery possible. This case exempli fies Apollo Hospitals’ commitment to de livering cutting-edge trauma and orthop aedic care through a multidisciplinary m odel. The institution continues to set be nchmarks in patient outcomes through clinical excellence, and timely interventi on”.
Dr.Madhumita, consultant and Incharge, Emergency Department, said “The youn g boy was brought to emergency depart ment with a road traffic accident leadin g to a high impact complex injury to his r ight knee. Given the severity of the injur y, emergency surgical intervention was necessary to prevent complications like infection, tissue damage, nerve and bloo od vessel injury, and impaired bone heal ing. Thanks to the expertise of the speci alist, the strict infection control measur es, and the timely intervention facilitate d by the 24/7 availability of surgical serv ices, the young cyclist made an incredibl e recovery. This remarkable outcome is a reflection of the clinical excellence tha t Apollo Hospitals consistently strives f or, touching lives of countless patients e very day.”
Within a few months, the patient resum ed competitive training and went on to s ecure second place at a prestigious nati onal-level event. His return to form follo wing such a debilitating injury stands as a testament to the quality of care provid ed and the resilience of the human spirit t.
About Apollo Hospitals:
It was in 1983, that Dr Prathap C Reddy made a pioneering endeavor by launchi ng India’s first corporate hospital – Apoll o Hospitals in Chennai. Now, as Asia’s fo remost trusted integrated healthcare gr oup, its presence includes over 12,000 b eds across 72 Hospitals and 5000 pharm acies, over 400 Primary Care clinics and 1228 Diagnostic centres, 700 plus Telecl inics, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials. The most recent investment was the commissioning of S outh East Asia’s very first Proton Therap y Centre in Chennai.
Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Gr oup touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of international stan dards within the reach of every individu al. In a rare honour, the Government of I ndia had issued a commemorative stam p in recognition of Apollo’s contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. A pollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigio us Padma Vibhushan in 2010.
For 40 years, the Apollo Hospitals Grou p has continuously excelled and maintai ned leadership in medical innovation, w orld-class clinical services and cutting-e dge technology. Its hospitals are consist ently ranked amongst the best hospitals in the country for advanced medical ser vices.
