Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) National-level volleyball player Arunima Sinha, whose left leg had to be amputated after robbers threw her off a running train last week, is in a stable condition, doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said Tuesday.

Arunima, who is now in the orthopaedic department at AIIMS, was brought to the hospital’s Trauma Centre Monday night after a serious infection was noticed in the amputated leg for which she underwent a second round of surgery at Lucknow’s prestigious King George Medical College (now upgraded to the Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University) Sunday.

“Now she is completely stable and much more cheerful than last (Monday) night and she is feeling much better,” said Trauma Centre head M.C. Misra told reporters.

A team of four doctors, led by Vijay Sharma, has been formed to look after her case. Other doctors are Sanjiv Bhui, Amit Gupta and Chhavi Sahani, Misra said.

“During the initial test Monday night, her haemoglobin was found to be low. So we transfused two units of blood in the night and one unit Tuesday morning,” Sharma said.

“The dressing on amputated leg was opened under anesthesia and dead tissues were thoroughly debrided (dead tissues removed). And she will need one or two more debridements before we can close it (the wound) by next Tuesday,” Sharma added.

Arunima will not need any other operation for spine and pelvic fractures which were found on a CT scan as the doctors said that both will heal with bed rest.

While in the operation theatre, Arunima was expressing her desire to be able to play again, said doctors. Her will-power is very strong and she may be able to play with an artificial limb, they added.

“She can play once again by six months time with the help of sports prosthesis. We will try and help her stand on her feet but all will depend on her will-power,” Misra said.

The union health ministry Monday offered Arunima “the best possible facilities and treatment”.

Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi Sunday expressed concern about the medical care Arunima, 23, was getting in Lucknow, and on Monday union Sports Minister Ajay Maken met Arunima at the hospital in Lucknow and offered to shift her to New Delhi for specialised treatment.

She was later shifted to AIIMS.

Arunima was pushed out of the general compartment of the Padmawati Express near Bareilly April 11 while resisting a chain-snatching attempt by some hoodlums as she was travelling from Lucknow to Delhi.

Her left leg was crushed when it came under the wheels of another train passing on the parallel rail track and had to be amputated.

Railway police carried her to the local district hospital where she lay injured, traumatised and unconscious until Wednesday morning.