Folding Man Li Hua, 46 Can Finally Stand Straight After Life-Changing Surgery

afromambo.com April 27, 2024

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Folding Man Li Hua, 46 Can Finally Stand Straight After Life-Changing Surgery to fix his hunched back which left his face pressed against his thighs for two decades

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Culled From Daily Mail

Li Hua, 46, was dubbed the 'folding man' (pictured) due to his condition, ankylosing spondylitis, which was diagnosed in 1991 at the age of 18 — Li Hua, 46, was dubbed the ‘folding man’ (pictured) due to his condition, ankylosing spondylitis, which was diagnosed in 1991 at the age of 18

‘Folding man’ can finally stand straight after life-changing surgery to fix his hunched back which left his face pressed against his thighs for two decades

Li Hua, 46, was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at the young age of 18
He didn’t have the money to be treated and was struggling to eat or drink
Professor Tao Huiren had treated other ‘folding’ patients and was able to help
A team at Shenzhen University General Hospital operated on Mr Hua four times

A patient dubbed the ‘folding man’ can finally stand straight again after life-changing surgery to fix his hunched back.

Li Hua, of China’s Hunan Province, has reportedly lived with his face pressed against his thighs for two decades, according to local reports.

The 46-year-old was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in 1991 at the age of 18, Chinese media claims.

The Surgery

After a series of high-risk operations this year, he has been able to stand completely straight for the first time in 28 years.
Doctors who treated Mr Hua – who struggled to eat or drink before his operation –hope he will able to walk without aid in the next three months.
Mr Hua’s condition worsened in the past five years. He measured only 90cm (2.9ft) in height because of his severely curved spine.
In May this year, Mr Hua’s family came across Professor Tao Huiren, head of spinal surgery and orthopaedics at Shenzhen University General Hospital.
Professor Huiren had treated other ‘folding’ patients with similar spinal conditions – but none whose case was so severe, reports said.

After Surgery

Mr Hua said: ‘There would’ve been no cure for me without Dr Tao. He’s my saviour, and my gratitude to him is second only to my mother.’
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rare type of arthritis believed to be caused by a faulty gene. Inflammation in the spine makes the back, rib cage and neck stiff and painful.
The inflammation causes bone to wear away, and in response, the body produces extra calcium to grow more bone, sometimes in the wrong places.

After a series of four operations this year, Mr Hua has been able to stand straight for the first time in 28 years. He is expected to walk without aid (a walker) in three months

Previous Surgery Scare

Mr Hua had previously been refused surgery on the grounds it was too life-threatening

What Condition Does The ‘Folding Man’ Have?

Chinese media reports that he has ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a condition which causes inflammation in the spine, making the back, rib cage and neck stiff and painful.
The inflammation causes bone to wear away, and in response, the body produces extra calcium to grow more bone, sometimes in the wrong places.
This process leads to further bone formation and the individual bones of the spine may fuse together. In serious cases this can make the spine curve forward more.
This type of spinal curvature, which looks like a forward-hunching posture, is called kyphosis.
Kyphosis is diagnosed when the spine is curved more than 45 degrees. It can be caused by poor posture, abnormal development in the womb, age and an injury.
People with AS may also have inflammation in other parts of their body, including the eyes – leading to a condition called uveitis.
Inflammation can additionally occur in the heel area as well as the knees, elbows, shoulders, and ribs.
AS is the most known member of the more broadly defined disease axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).
AsSpA is a chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease that affects the axial skeleton, causing severe pain, stiffness and fatigue.
Symptoms typically start in early adulthood and get progressively worse.
AS affects around 1.6million people in the US. AxSpA affects one in 200 adults in the UK.