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| Rosie |
A five-year old girl, Rosie Davies has had pioneering
surgery to repair a large gap in her spine using bone taken from her legs.
Missing bones in her spine meant her upper body weight was
unsupported and her inner organs were being crushed.
The lifesaving surgery came at the cost of her lower legs,
which she had always been unable to move.
Rosie was born with a very rare disorder called spinal
segmental dysgenesis. Five bones which made up part of her spine were missing,
leaving a 10cm gap in her backbone. Her legs were also contorted up against her
belly and she had very little feeling in them.
Rosie's legs were amputated from the knee down and a section
of bone was taken to bridge the gap in her spine. Two metal rods were then
bolted to the upper spine and the hips to provide extra support.
The operation at Birmingham Children's Hospital took 13
hours and it is the first of its kind in Europe. The only similar procedure took place 10 years ago in New
Zealand.
This is only the second time in the world that a surgical
team has attempted to fix the thoracic spine to the hip side bones for a
condition as rare as Rosie's.
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