News

• 29 July, 2016
  Kochi hospital transplants both hands of former Afghan soldier

  Kochi-based Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre has successfully performed twin-hand transplant on an ex-Army captain from Afghanistan, who had lost is both hands during de-mining operations.

  Hospital claimed that it could be the first case of twin-hand transplant in Afghanistan. Four months back, another twin-hand transplant was done at the hospital, which was claimed as the first such transplant in India.

  The former military captain Abdul Rahim, 30, had lost both hands during de-mining operations three years ago in Kandahar. He had approached the hospital four months back, at the end of a search for hand transplant in many other countries.

  The transplant was carried out in a marathon surgical feat lasting for almost 15 hours with more than 20 surgeons and eight anaesthetics participating in the procedure. The donor was a 54-year-old brain dead accident victim from Kerala.

  Hospital medical director Dr. Prem Nair said the family of the accident victim was counselled for the donation and they agreed after confirming that the hands will be replaced by prosthetic limbs to reduce deformity of the dead.

  Prof Subramania Iyer, head of the plastic surgery department, said each hand required connecting two bones, two arteries, four veins and 14 tendons.

  He said the Afghan native has regained considerable amount of function of both hands. He would require intensive physiotherapy for next 10 months, which would be done in Kochi.

  Source: indianexpress.com

  
  
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