From Social Isolation to Confidence: Surgery Restores Life of a Homemaker with Rare Jaw Infection
Bhubaneswar, 11th July 2025: In her 50s, Ms. Geeta Rani , was leading a vibrant, healthy, and happy life. Hailing from Bhubaneswar, she spent most of her life fulfilling her role as a homemaker and caring for her family. However, life took an unexpected turn when her health ordeal started to disrupt the peace of her life, with a COVID-19 diagnosis, followed by Mucormycosis (black fungus infection), for which she had to undergo surgery. Just when it all seemed to be in the past, Ms. Geeta started having another health problem – a persistent pus discharge from her upper jaw, accompanied by severe bad breath, pain, and weakness.
Her condition deteriorated to the point where she could no longer manage her daily chores and was isolated completely. Even friends and close relatives avoided contact and stopped visiting her condition. The family, without wasting time, visited Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar and consulted with Dr. Harsh Mohan Pathak, Consultant – Dental Medicine and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, who was quick to identify the problem. On evaluation, it was revealed that the upper jawbone (left maxilla) had been completely destroyed by chronic infection, with pus draining from the maxilla and maxillary sinus. She also developed haemolytic anaemia, a condition where the body mistakenly attacks its own red blood cells, causing premature death of RBCs (red blood cells) and leading to critically low haemoglobin levels. This made her condition even more critical and challenging for doctors to carry out a decisive plan, which was the need of the hour.
Despite the complexity, Dr. Pathak and his team devised a precise surgical plan. A complete left-sided maxillectomy, followed by debridement, was performed to remove the diseased jawbone and clear the infection. The surgery was especially high-risk, and meticulous care was taken at every step. To restore both function and appearance, a buccal (cheek) issue was used to reconstruct and cover the surgical area and promote healing.
Dr. Harsh Mohan Pathak noted, “This case was exceptionally rare and challenging, as we had to consider multiple systemic challenges, including hemolytic anaemia and post-mucormycosis complications. However, with careful planning and surgical precision, we were able to restore her function and quality of life.”
Postoperatively, Ms. Geeta had an uneventful recovery. Not only did her chronic infection resolve, but she could also speak and enjoy her meals normally, participating in family gatherings without discomfort. Her transformation was so profound that she described it as having “the monster removed from the jaw”.