It's early in the morning and doctors at St Agustines hospital in Durban are busy with a unique operation in South Africa... Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Rib surgery may be a mouthful but the results are remarkable.
Professor Carol Hasler a Swiss based surgeon explains "WE LENGTHEN THE SPINE WITH THE HELP OF A TELESCOPIC ROD WHICH IS CALLED A TITANIUM RIB AND FIX IT TO THE RIB AND TO THE SPINE OR THE PELVIS DEPENDING ON THE DEFORMITY."
Seven year old Londiwe Dlangamandla was the first to go under the knife. The titanium "ribs" will be adjusted every six months with a minor op and eventualy the patient will be able to walk upright. The "ribs" cost R24 000 each. The op took two hours and that morning three young patients were fitted out.
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