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Prayagraj Army doc develops low-cost way to fix finger fractures
Col Pandey was recently felicitated by the International Science and Technology Awards (IISTA-2022) with the ‘International Best Researcher Award’ at an event held in Trichy in association with the World Research Council.
An army doctor hailing from Prayagraj and currently posted as a plastic surgeon at the Command Hospital of Indian army’s Western Command in Panchkula, Haryana, Col Vijay Kumar Pandey has developed an innovative, economical and easy method to treat fractures of human fingers.
The method involves using syringe caps and does not need any operation theatre or complex surgery as it is a simple process that can be undertaken under local anesthesia.
Col Pandey was recently felicitated by the International Science and Technology Awards (IISTA-2022) with the ‘International Best Researcher Award’ at an event held in Trichy in association with the World Research Council. His work has also been published in the International Surgery Journal.
“The healing time too is one week less than the present practice followed in the country wherein the supporting frame is costly, costing around ₹2000, whereas in the technique developed by me, the patient needs just ₹150 to ₹200,” said Col Pandey while speaking on phone.
A resident of Preetam Nagar of Prayagraj, his mother, Shiromani Pandey, was a teacher at Air Force School. He lost his father at a very early age and his mother single handedly raised her three children, Col Pandey being the eldest.
Pandey studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bamrauli. After being selected in the all-India medical entrance examination, he did his MBBS from Dr SN Medical College, Jodhpur. Later, he did his MS (general surgery) from Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC)-Pune and completed his super speciality (MCh) in Plastic surgery from PGIMER-Chandigarh.
Currently he is working as an associate professor at Command Hospital (Western Command) in Panchkula, Haryana and has more than 20 publications in various national and international journals.
“The method developed and used by me is quite economical and easy to use as the mini external fixator for finger joint fractures with the use of K-wire and syringe cap, can give early mobility of joints after removal of fixator after three weeks. It does not require any plastic surgeon to apply and any surgeon can do it even as an OPD procedure,” says 46-year-old Col Pandey.
He further said, “This was a prospective case study covering period from January 2021 to May 2022 at department of plastic surgery, Command Hospital, Chandimandir, Panchkula (Haryana) wherein syringe needle- cap was used as an excellent mini-external fixator which was radiolucent, readily available, inexpensive, simple, safe and easy to use”.
He explained that 10 young male patients were presented with intra-articular fractures of phalanx. All patients had undergone pre-operative and post procedure X-rays for evaluation. “Kirschner wires as an optimal fixator across the fractured joint was used and later removed in an OPD visit after three weeks to dynamise the range of motion (ROM) of the affected joint of the finger,” explained Col Pandey.
