Amit Kumar is back on his feet again — battling back from more than a decade of being bedridden after a horrific traffic accident.
The 40-year-old Indian man — who’s going viral after what’s been hailed as “miracle” surgery — developed elephantiasis in 2010 after a post-crash operation on his left groin which resulted in disruption of the lymph nodes.
At its most debilitating, Kumar’s devastated limb developed a tumor that swelled up to nearly 48-inches wide — and weighed a whopping 98 pounds.
Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as lymphedema or elephantiasis, is a rare disease caused by a blockage of the lymphatic system. Fluid becomes trapped, causing the over growth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kumar’s devastated limb forced him to travel to a string of hospitals seeking medical relief in his hometown of New Delhi. However, he was told for a decade that nothing could be done to help alleviate his pain and remove his tumor, SWNS reported.
In a last ditch effort, Kumar visited the Max Super Speciality Hospital in Patparganj, and underwent a lympho-venous anastomosis (LVA) reconstruction surgery Feb. 22.
LVA allows for doctors to create a surgical connection between the lymphatic vessels and veins in an attempt to drain lymphatic fluid into the circulatory system, Science Direct reports.
The microsurgery reduced the swelling of Kumar’s leg immensely and his limb was cut down to half of its past size. His limbs are now able to function normally and he is mobile again after 10 years.
Dr. Manoj Johar, who led the team behind Kumar’s microsurgery, said “lymphedema was traditionally treated with debulking, ablative treatments in which the excess volume of fat and fluid was immediately excised or eliminated via liposuction.”
The surgeon added, “these methods, on the other hand, are far from physiological and are frequently disfiguring or only provide brief relief. LVA is relatively new, and is now considered one of the gold standard therapies for lymphedema.”
