| Co. Laois vet brings hope
to amputees
 By Trevor O’Sullivan
An Irishman who grew up on a small farm in rural Ireland has become the
talk of the medical world thanks to a revolutionary veterinary procedure.
Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick is now the first vet in Europe to have implanted
a false metallic paw on an injured dog.
The event captured universal media attention, with many labelling Storm
the dog as the first bionic canine and others believing it will bring
hope to people who have lost limbs and are reliant on prosthetics.
But Dr. Fitzpatrick’s story goes far beyond his Farnham-based practice
in Surrey and the road toward this latest landmark operation can be traced
back to a quaint village in Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
There the Irish vet was conferred with a love of animals that would eventually
lead him to the top of his profession.
He said: “I grew up on a farm. I was looking after sheep since the
age of eight and my dad influenced me a lot. He always led me to believe
that you should never give up. His philosophy was wherever there was hope
there was life and so I took that very strongly to heart.”
And Dr. Fitzpatrick was quick to point out how the revolutionary surgery
has implications way beyond the animal kingdom.
He said: “The device was pioneered by the institute of orthopaedics
in University College London. I implanted the device and this was the
first instance it was ever put in a dog.
“Since then we have worked very hard to create a situation where
a workable foot can attach to the device. It allows the skin to bond to
the metal thereby providing a resilient seal.
“The implications for humans is that they can do similar operations
where the skin bonds to the metal and therefore they have a resilient
seal providing a human with a piece of metal with which they can attach
a new foot or arm wherever a previous one runs out.”
The vet’s love for animals is evident.
He said: “Every single case that comes in you can make a dramatic
difference in it and you can see that tangible difference.
“I guess the distinction between vets and a normal person is that
they see animals as sentient creatures they feel pain and have needs and
wants.
“For normal people that don’t understand that, it’s
difficult to comprehend why we would dedicate our entire lives to it,
because it is certainly not about money. It’s about making a difference.”
Another Irish name making a difference in the world of prosthetic limbs
is 26-year old Leona Morton from Larne, Co. Antrim.
The postgraduate student at the University of Strathclyde’s medical
devices doctoral training centre has been awarded a £15,000 grant
to help her develop a new low-maintenance prosthetic limb. |
