Indian Para-Cyclist Arshad Shaikh to Undergo Surgery After Game Crash
Synopsis
Indian para-cyclist Arshad Shaikh will undergo surgery in Japan after suffering a femur fracture during a crash at the Asian Para Games. Team physicians report his condition is stable as he prepares for the upcoming medical procedure.
Arshad Shaikh to Undergo Surgery After Accident
Indian para-cyclist Arshad Shaikh has been diagnosed with a displaced fracture of the left femur and is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday, with Team India chief physician Dr Ameya Kagali stating that the athlete is in stable condition following his crash at the Asian Para Games. Arshad, who represented India at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and is the country's lone para-cyclist at the ongoing Games in Japan, fell during the men's time trial on Wednesday, landing on his previously operated left residual limb.
"Arshad had a fall yesterday during an event due to which he landed on his stump that is the left stump and he's been diagnosed with a comminuted displaced subtrochanteric fracture of the left femur and this cannot be managed conservatively so it needs a surgical intervention and that's what we are doing and the surgery will be conducted tomorrow [Friday] at 1300 hours Japanese time," Kagali told ANI.
Medical Status and Recovery
The injury involves the upper part of the femur near the hip and requires surgical intervention. Arshad, who has an above-knee amputation on his left leg and relies on a prosthesis, will need medical assessment and rehabilitation following the operation. Kagali said Arshad was in good spirits and that his vital signs were stable ahead of the surgery.
"Of course, we were there with Arshad since last night and throughout we've been in touch. In fact, I am with him right now as we speak, and he seems to be in good spirits. Yes, there is a little bit of pain, which is expected in a case of fracture of the femur, but apart from that, his vitals are stable, he's hemodynamically good, and he's fit to be operated on tomorrow, and we have been in constant touch. So, I don't think there's anything to worry about as of now, and we are communicating things with Arshad and also his attendant, Mr Ramesh," he said.
International Medical Response
The Indian team physician also praised the response of the host country's medical personnel following the accident, which occurred at the Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka, more than 250 km from Nagoya. "The Japanese medical staff has been absolutely fantastic with their responsiveness to the action of any sort of medical emergency and in Arshad's case it was no different. Not just for Arshad, I believe that there were three other athletes also who had a fall during his event around the same area, and all have been taken care of at one of the finest established tertiary care centres, which was APC accredited, and I think it's been really, really good the response from the Japanese medical staff. The only barrier that we faced was that of the language, but apart from that, professionally they are very good," Kagali said.
He added that the Indian medical team had discussed the treatment plan with Japanese surgeons and explained the seriousness of the injury and the recovery process to Arshad. "The extent of the injury, the seriousness of the injury, has been mentioned to Arshad, and we have also explained the road ahead for him in the lead-up to the surgery and what kind of intervention we are doing. We have had an exhaustive meeting with the Japanese surgeons. We have sat down and come to a conclusion of how to go about this, and then he will be in the Japanese hospital here for roughly give or take 10 days to a fortnight, and in due course he will be told what he can do and when he is fit to travel; that will be said in the days to come," he said.
Arshad's injury has also drawn attention to India's para-cycling representation at the Games, with the 2024 Paralympian the only cyclist cleared to compete in Aichi-Nagoya. Arshad's surgery is scheduled for Friday, with his subsequent recovery and fitness to travel to be assessed by his treating medical team. (ANI)