10-year-old physically challenged boy undergoes surgery after Royal directives

AMMAN — Under Royal directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), orthopaedic surgeons at the King Hussein Medical City on Tuesday night performed a surgery on 10-year-old Ibrahim Khawaldeh from Zarqa.

The child tried to reach His Majesty during his visit to Zarqa, but he failed, so he posted a video on social media to deliver his message to the King, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The following day, the King issued the directives.

Lt. Col. Firas Ibrahim, consultant of bone surgery at the medical city, said that the child suffered from a congenital defect in his right thigh, which led to shortness in his right leg by 16 centimetres.

Following tests, Ibrahim noted that the child needed a multi-phase surgery, where the first surgery included correcting the defect and installing a device that lengthened thigh bones and stabilised the pelvis and knee joints. 

The first surgical procedures led to increasing the leg by five centimetres, while the device will lengthen the leg by five to 10 centimetres, Ibrahim said, noting that one year later, the child will undergo another surgery to lengthen the leg to be equal to the other. 

The child’s father expressed his appreciation of His Majesty’s makrumas (Royal benefactions) that covered all Jordanians. He also conveyed his gratitude to JAF and the Royal Medical Services.