Aakash Healthcare averted long term Complications from ‘Aviator’s Fracture’
New Delhi: Sleep deprivation is making both pilots and drivers on the road prone to ‘crash’. 21 year old sleep starved Mohit kumar ‘air crashed’ on the road leading to severe injuries to his feet and ankles popularly known s ‘Aviator’s Fracture’. An Aakash Healthcare team led by renowned orthopeedic surgeon Dr Aashish Chaudhry averted long term complications and grim prospect of permanent disability. A fracture that once was ‘preserve’ of pilots has become order of the day for road drivers as well. The case should red flag early morning drowsy drivers.
In this instance, a rare injury usually associated with aircraft crashes during World War I has resurfaced in a modern-day road accident, highlighting the dangerous consequences of driving without adequate sleep. Mr. Mohit Kumar, met with such serious car accident in the wee hours of the day recently. Allegedly fatigued after a late night, he reportedly dozed off while driving. His vehicle lost control and collided with a tree, resulting in severe injuries to both his feet and ankles.
When the patient was brought to Aakash Healthcare, doctors were surprised to diagnose a bilateral aviator’s fracture, a rare hind-foot injury historically seen in aircraft crashes when pilots’ feet were forcefully thrust forward on impact. In this case, the injury pattern mirrored that mechanism at the moment of collision, the driver instinctively pressed the clutch and brake with great force, causing sudden ankle extension of the feet as the car struck a stationary object.
The patient sustained bilateral talus fracture dislocation, along with a comminuted calcaneum fracture on the left side. Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Director & Head, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Aakash Healthcare, explains that the talus bone is especially critical due to its poor blood supply, making such injuries time-sensitive and potentially life-altering if not treated promptly.
Recognizing the severity, doctors immediately stabilized both limbs with soft plaster and planned urgent surgery. Dr Aashish Chaudhry further informed, “A complex operation lasting nearly 5–6 hours was performed, during which plates and screws were used to fix the fractured bones. The surgery was carried out on a Sunday, with the medical team working continuously to prevent long-term complications”.
The patient is currently has been discharged in a stable condition. He has been advised strict bed rest and non–weight bearing for at least six weeks, with follow-up X-rays planned over the coming months to monitor healing.
Dr Bharat Bahre, Senior Consultant & Associate Director, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Aakash Healthcare, part of the treating team, emphasized that, “Aviator’s fractures were once seen in plane crashes; seeing them today in road accidents tells us how violent the impact of a fatigued-driving crash can be. Sleep deprivation impairs reflexes just like alcohol. One moment of drowsiness can lead to lifelong disability,”.
Dr Aashish Chaudhry further cautioned that early-morning driving, especially after inadequate sleep, carries a high risk of “microsleep” episodes. This case serves as a powerful reminder that lack of sleep can result in devastating accidents, rare injuries, and prolonged recovery, particularly among young drivers. Dr Abhishek Kumar Sambharia, Consultant, Orthopaedics, Aakash Healthcare was also part of the team.
