Reportedly the first ectodermal dysplasia patient to undergo such a procedure in India; is able to breathe from the nose for the first time after last month's surgery in Mumbai
Ankit Makkhija took his first real breath only last month. The 30-year-old resident of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, who lacked a nasal bridge owing to a genetic disorder, ectodermal dysplasia, underwent a rhinoplasty in the city in which a nasal bridge was constructed out of his rib cartilage.
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Ankit Makkhija got a nasal bridge in the city last month. Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Ectodermal dysplasia is a genetic disorder that affects the development and functioning of teeth, hair, nails, skin or sweat glands.
According to his treating doctor, Makkhija is the first ectodermal dysplasia patient in the country to have a nasal bridge made out of the rib cartilage.
A nasal bridge helps inhale air, and its absence made Makkhija - who had only nostrils - rely solely on mouth breathing. He said he requested many doctors across the country for years for a corrective surgery, but didn't get a response.
Dr Debraj Shome, consultant facial plastic surgeon, Apollo Spectra, Chembur, where the surgery was performed in the second week of March, said the biggest challenge with the procedure was getting a new layer of skin to grow on the nasal bridge. "Thankfully, he has developed a nice layer of skin on his nose."
He said he initially refused to operate on Makkhija given the risk of failure to get new skin growth. "But, he was relentless and kept visiting me. I finally decided to take the risk," said Dr Shome, who said he had to research extensively on the procedure.
He said the cartilage was sourced from ribs 7, 8, 9, which only serve the purpose of providing support to internal organs. A rib cartilage helps connect bones of the rib cage. It offers the flexibility to shape a graft as desired. A human body has 12 pairs of ribs.
Dr Shome claimed that Makkhija is the first ectodermal dysplasia patient whose nasal bridge was made of grafts sourced from the rib cartilage.
Dr Parag Telang, consultant, plastic and reconstructive surgery, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim, said ectodermal dysplasia affects 1 in a 1,000 people. "Nose construction from rib cartilage is not so uncommon, but using the procedure on a patient suffering from ectodermal dysplasia isn't. So far, I haven't come across any such case."
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