New Delhi [India], October 31 (HBTV): Doctors at a hospital in the national capital successfully reconstructed the thumb of a 20-year-old man who sustained severe injuries in a road accident involving a bike and a tractor by using the second toe from his amputated leg.
According to the hospital, the procedure not only restored hand function but also utilised tissue from the non-salvageable limb.
‘The patient suffered total amputation of his left leg below the knee and total amputation of the left thumb. Upon arrival at the hospital, the trauma team acted swiftly. The amputated parts (left leg and thumb) were examined for reimplantation, but due to severe crush injuries, they were unsuitable for reattachment. In an extraordinary decision, the surgical team chose to use the second toe from the amputated leg to reconstruct the lost thumb, a procedure that not only restored hand function but also utilised tissue from the non-salvageable limb,’ the hospital said.
The complex microsurgical procedure was performed under Dr Mahesh Mangal, Senior Consultant and Head of the Department of Plastic, Cosmetic and Hand Microsurgery, along with his team comprising Dr Nikhil Jhunjhunwala (Consultant Hand and Microsurgeon), Dr Arjun Krishna (DNB resident), and Dr Rishika Bachani (DNB resident).
Dr Mahesh Mangal emphasised the importance of bringing amputated parts promptly for possible reimplantation. He said, ‘Patients and relatives should always try to search for the amputated part at the trauma scene. Timely, efficient transportation of the patient and the preserved amputated part to the reimplantation centre is critical for survival and function.’
The hospital further mentioned that it has performed more than 700 reimplants of different body parts. ‘We have done more than 700 reimplants of different body parts like fingers, toes, penis, scalp, ear, upper limb, etc.,’ the hospital stated.
(ANI)