Athlete cured of infection in amputated leg

National level athlete Arunima Sinha, who lost her leg after allegedly being pushed off a train, has been cured of infection in her amputated leg, doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where she is undergoing treatment, said.

After making her undergo four sittings of vacuum-assisted closure therapy -- to reduce the bacterial load in the infected amputated leg -- doctors will give a cover to her amputated leg and do some fixation of bones of the right leg on Tuesday.

"Her amputated leg has responded well to the VAC therapy treatment. This leg is now free from all infection. We have decided to conduct the next round of surgery on Tuesday which include giving a cover to the amputated leg and fixing the bones of the right leg," Trauma Centre head M C Misra said.

"We will do the bone fixing of the right leg so that they can bear her body weight," he said.

The 23-year-old volleyball player lost her left leg after allegedly being pushed by robbers from a running train near Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh on April 11 and was shifted from a Lucknow hospital to AIIMS Trauma Centre on April 18 after she developed an infection in her amputated leg.

She underwent the first surgery when doctors put a device in her amputated leg, which included low intensity suction pipes attached to a wound to drain out infected fluid.

Arunima has also got fractures in her spine and suffered head injuries in the incident. "For treatment of fracture in the spine," Dr Misra said, "The only cure is complete bed rest."