PERTH - A doctor treating a Perth boy who had three limbs reattached after a basketball accident says the prospects of his living a normal life remain high despite yesterday's amputation of his left foot.
Terry Vo, 10, underwent the 90-minute amputation after doctors discovered the muscles in his leftfoot, which was severed along with both hands, had died.
Robert Love, a plastic surgeon at the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, said the foot was amputated 14cm below the knee after long talks with Terry and his family.
Despite Terry's young age, Love said, the boy quickly came to terms with the setback.
Terry was playing at a friend's northeastern Perth home on March 26 when a slam-dunk caused the basketball ring and brick wall to collapse on top of him, severing his hands and foot.
In what is believed to be a world-first procedure, three surgical teams at the hospital worked simultaneously to repair his limbs.
Love said that despite the loss of the foot, the prognosis for both Terry's hands remained positive.
"At least his upper limbs are doing extremely well, the muscles are still alive, and all the skin grafts have taken."
The hospital said Terry could be fitted for a prosthetic lower limb within three weeks, and out of hospital within six weeks.
