Armless Iraqi boy's second operation postponed

Doctors treating a 12-year old Iraqi orphan who lost both arms and was severely burned in the bombing of Baghdad have postponed a planned skin graft operation, but say his condition is improving.

Ali Ismaeel Abbas, whose parents were killed when a missile destroyed his house about a month ago, was sent to the Saud A Albabtain Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery on Wednesday and received temporary skin grafts.

They were to have been replaced today with permanent grafts taken from skin on his back and buttocks, but surgeon Imad Najada said “we are not happy with the burn area.” The operation was postponed until later this week.

However, Najada said Ali’s general condition was much better and that he was eating well. The boy is also receiving psychological care and may begin receiving tutoring in the hospital, the surgeon said.

Doctors want to be sure the boy’s burned skin will be ready for the graft because “he has a limited donor area,” Najada said. Ali was burned primarily from his upper chest to his groin, about 35% of his body area.

Ali was seen as representing the suffering of Iraqi civilians in the war against Saddam Hussein, and his plight has received extensive media coverage around the world.

Kuwait’s government will continue to pay for all the boy’s treatment and the state hospital was in contact with medical centres abroad to locate prostheses for his lost arms, the doctor said.

Najada said New York’s Global Medical Relief Foundation was “very interested in receiving him,” but no decision had been made yet. Because of his young age, the prostheses will have to be changed every year, he said.

Several charities around the world have offered to help pay for Ali’s treatment and prostheses.