Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) surgeons have performed a delicate, seven-hour reconstructive surgery that saved the life and began restoring the face of a 12-year-old boy, who suffered catastrophic injuries after a mobile phone battery exploded in his mouth.
The complex procedure, which stabilised the child’s shattered jaws, secured his airway, and restored his ability to breathe independently, speak, and swallow, marks a major medical milestone for the Kisumu-based facility, which was recently elevated to a Level 6A national referral hospital and state parastatal under the Ministry of Health.
The boy was rushed to JOOTRH from Vihiga County following the domestic accident involving a phone battery.
The explosion destroyed significant portions of his lower facial soft tissues and bone structures, leaving him in critical condition and struggling to breathe.
A multidisciplinary team led by maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Anthony Ganda, alongside specialists from Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Radiology, and Critical Care, moved swiftly to save the child’s life.
One of the most urgent challenges was a severely distorted airway that made breathing nearly impossible.
Using advanced video laryngoscopy, doctors successfully secured the airway as ENT specialists stood by for emergency surgical intervention.
Detailed CT imaging was then used to map the extent of the damage and guide reconstruction with millimetre precision.
The gruelling operation focused on three key goals—salvaging viable tissue, stabilising broken facial bones, and reconstructing the facial framework to restore both appearance and critical functions.
“The objective was not just to save his life but to preserve his future,” Dr. Ganda said, underscoring the importance of enabling the child to eat, speak, and grow with as normal facial development as possible.
Dr. Ganda said the injuries of such magnitude caused by battery explosions in children are extremely rare, with fewer than 100 similar cases documented in global medical literature.
The case, he said, adds to Kenya’s growing track record in handling complex facial reconstruction.
Only four months ago, a multidisciplinary team at Kenyatta National Hospital carried out a groundbreaking facial reconstruction on a seven-year-old boy who had been shot during a bandit attack, a procedure hailed as a world first for the extent of facial restoration achieved.
At JOOTRH, the young patient is now stable and recovering in the ward. Dr. Ganda said the team has planned further staged reconstructive surgeries to rebuild bone, soft tissues, and dental function as part of his long-term rehabilitation.
The hospital has also issued a public safety warning on the handling of mobile phones and other low-voltage batteries, cautioning that although they appear harmless, faulty batteries can turn into dangerous explosive devices, especially when handled by children.
Dr. Ganda said the successful surgery not only saved a young life but also highlights JOOTRH’s expanding capacity to manage highly specialised trauma cases, cementing its new status as a top-tier national referral centre.
By Chris Mahandara
