Yobe State University Teaching Hospital has successfully performed its first total hip replacement surgery on a young man living with sickle cell disease, marking a major development in specialised healthcare delivery in the state.
The surgery was conducted on Saturday after the patient developed avascular necrosis, a condition in which bone tissue dies because of inadequate blood supply. In his case, the condition affected the upper part of the thigh bone that forms part of the hip joint.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the procedure was led by Dr Lawan Yari, with Dr Musa Abdulmalik, Dr Bashok Palagvi, Mr Manasseh Jonah and Mr Karumi Ibrahim also part of the medical team.
The Yobe State Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Gana, disclosed the development while briefing journalists on Sunday, describing the operation as a landmark achievement for the state’s healthcare sector.
He explained that total hip replacement involves removing a damaged hip joint and replacing it with an artificial joint to restore function and relieve pain.
Gana said the specialised procedure had previously not been available in Yobe, describing the successful operation as “the rare surgery”.
He noted that the latest achievement followed another major medical breakthrough recorded in the state in May when Yobe State Specialist Hospital successfully performed a complex face and jaw operation.
The earlier procedure, known as maxillofacial surgery, was carried out on a 40-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with a rare non-cancerous tumour affecting her lower jawbone.
The commissioner attributed both medical breakthroughs to the support of Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as the provision of modern equipment to healthcare facilities across the state.
