Temple Priest undergoes Successful Jaw Reconstruction and Rehabilitation At Medicover Hospital

10 November 2021, Hyderabad : A 40-year-old priest from Vijayawada and an insurance agent were stumped when they lost the ability to speak or interact n had a functional oral disability as a result of contracting Mucormycosis, also known as the Black Fungus. The priest had also been suffering from COVID-19, which made him more susceptible to the fungal infection. The coronavirus primarily attacks and destroys cells of the respiratory tract which makes them susceptible to damage from other microbes which they could otherwise have warded off. When the infected cells of the respiratory tract come into contact with the fungal spores of Mucormycosis, they sprout branch-like filaments and cause death to the surrounding tissue. This, combined with COVID, can prove to be a deadly combination. Sadly, such cases are on the rise as more and more people get infected with COVID and subsequently, with the black fungus. According to government statistics, close to 1,600 people have contracted this infection from both the Telugu states. The uniqueness of this infection and the large defective area that it creates, have proven to be very difficult to treat, not to mention the psychological, emotional, and functional loss that the patients incur as a result of oral defects and facial disfiguration caused.

The priest’s condition worsened as he visited hospital after hospital, in vain, and by the time he could receive some medical aid, he had completely lost his upper jaw and teeth to the infection. When he availed the services of Medicover, the expertise of Dr. C. Sharathbabu and the facilities of the hospital proved to be a godsend. Dr. Sharath and his team, belonging to the Department of Dental and Maxillofacial, Medicover, have rehabilitated two such patients which is no mean feat and a one-of-a-kind achievement.

Some of these cases were rhino-maxillary mucor cases which further demanded upper jaw resection (cheek bones, palate, base of eye, soft tissue, etc.) and with the advantage of 3D CT facial bones reconstruction, 3D-milled titanium implant plates, designed specifically for each patient, prosthetic functional reconstruction of lost structures, including the teeth, was accomplished. Thereafter, the patient’s speech, chewing efficiency and aesthetics were improved. The treatment given and the expert care taken resulted in a tremendous improvement in the quality of the patients’ lives.

This is a testament to the fact that one must never stop looking for medical assistance no matter how grim the situation may appear to be, and there is always good team of doctors who can think thru and , strive consistently to provide the best of medical care to patients.