African Youth Freed from Agony of Metal Rod Stabbing His Knee with Every Step, Walks Again in Korea

"Meeting the medical staff at Asan Medical Center was a miracle
I will live a life of service with my healthy leg"

A young man from Africa, who endured severe pain after a metal rod was improperly fixed during surgery following a traffic accident-causing the rod to stab his knee with every step-was finally freed from his agony after undergoing surgery in distant South Korea.

According to Asan Medical Center on November 27, the hospital invited John Conteh, who was suffering from a bent femur that had not healed, making walking difficult, and who also had to endure severe pain due to a protruding metal rod. In early November, the hospital successfully performed reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation treatment. Conteh has since regained his ability to walk and was recently discharged. All of his treatment costs were fully covered by the Asan Foundation and Asan Medical Center.

John Conte (center), who underwent femur reconstruction and skin graft surgery at Asan Medical Center, is taking a commemorative photo on the 13th of this month with Professor Jiwan Kim (left), Orthopedic Surgery, and Professor Jingun Kwon (right), Plastic Surgery, at Asan Medical Center. Photo by Asan Medical Center

Conteh, who lived in Sierra Leone, a small country on the Atlantic coast of Africa, suffered a severe open fracture of his left thigh bone (femur) in a traffic accident in December 2022. He immediately underwent surgery at a local hospital to insert a metal rod from his thigh to his knee.

However, after the surgery, a screw broke, causing the rod to shift, and the protruding metal rod led to excruciating knee pain every time he walked. Although he took painkillers, at some point they stopped working. His left leg gradually became shorter, resulting in an unbalanced gait and making walking even more difficult.

In May of this year, a final X-ray confirmed the worst: his femur had not healed. The local doctor warned that if the metal rod continued to irritate the kneecap (patella), he would eventually be unable to bend his knee, and in the worst-case scenario, might even require amputation. The doctor also noted that, in this condition, Conteh would be able to walk for at most one more year.

The problem was that there was no hospital in Sierra Leone capable of reconstructing Conteh's left leg. Even in the capital, Freetown, medical facilities are scarce and lack basic equipment, so residents still rely on folk remedies or traditional healing practices.

Furthermore, Conteh was unable to afford treatment on his own. Having lost his father at a young age, he was responsible for supporting his widowed mother, two younger sisters, and a nephew. His only income came from a modest stipend and donations he received as a church evangelist. Ultimately, a Korean missionary familiar with Conteh's circumstances searched for a hospital capable of performing the surgery and requested Asan Medical Center to invite him as part of its overseas charity patient program.

After reviewing Conteh's case and deciding to proceed with treatment, Asan Medical Center enabled him to arrive in South Korea on October 4. He underwent a three-week quarantine to check for Ebola infection, and was admitted to Asan Medical Center on October 27 for further examinations.

Conteh was diagnosed with femoral nonunion and deformity, as well as protrusion of internal fixation devices. His primary physician, Professor Kim Jiwan of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Asan Medical Center, planned to remove the metal rod, realign the misaligned bone, and then refix it with a new rod. For the unhealed femur, a bone graft and additional small metal rods were planned for stabilization.

In addition, a skin graft was scheduled for the left ankle area, which had been injured in the traffic accident, and Professor Jingun Kwon from the Department of Plastic Surgery was consulted for a collaborative approach. Professor Kwon administered antibiotics to treat drug-resistant bacteria identified in the wound area and repeatedly removed necrotic tissue at the bedside to prepare the site for surgery.

Finally, on November 3, a collaborative surgery by the orthopedic and plastic surgery teams successfully completed Conteh’s femur reconstruction and skin graft after a total of seven hours. Conteh made a smooth recovery and completed two weeks of rehabilitation therapy without complications. The skin graft on his left ankle also took successfully.

Professor Kim Jiwan of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Asan Medical Center stated, "I am delighted that Mr. Conteh, who had to endure pain for so long, can now walk comfortably. Considering the local medical situation, we ensured he received as much rehabilitation as possible in Korea, and thanks to his cooperation, he was able to regain his walking ability quickly."

John Conteh commented upon discharge, "Meeting the medical staff at Asan Medical Center was a miracle. I am grateful to the team for treating me so well. Now, with my healthy leg, I will return home and devote myself even more to serving my community."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.