SSKM docs reattach severed hands of man through lengthy surgery

Kolkata: A team of doctors at SSKM Hospital in the city conducted a difficult surgery on a 39-year-old patient and reattached the palms of both of his hands, which had been severed from the wrists due to an accident.

The doctors at the plastic surgery department of the Trauma Care Centre at SSKM have carried out the surgery, which falls in the list of rare cases of bilateral limb replantation across the globe. The patient has been showing signs of improvement in the last seven days and he has been able to move his fingers. According to the hospital authorities, the patient will be able to lead a normal life in ten days.

The victim, identified as Sankar Saha, works in a printing press at Panihati area of North 24-Parganas. It has been learnt that Saha had been operating a paper-cutting machine at the time of the accident a week ago.

When he was putting papers into the machine, both his palms got stuck inside and despite rigorous attempts, he failed to

take out his palms. Eventually, both his palms got severed from the wrists.

The staff members of the printing press had initially taken the patient to Kamarhati ESI Hospital. The doctors at the hospital suggested the victim's colleagues to shift him to SSKM Hospital, as they lacked adequate infrastructure to perform the surgery.

The victim was finally brought to SSKM Hospital. The doctors at the emergency department soon transferred the victim to the Trauma Care Centre and the hospital authorities constituted a medical board to carry out the surgery.

Two separate teams of doctors were formed to conduct the surgery on both hands simultaneously, on an emergency basis.

The doctors at the plastic surgery department did not waste any time and took all the precautionary measures before taking the patient to the operation theater.

The surgery lasted for a couple of hours, during which the nerves which were severed from the body were successfully repaired. According to sources in the hospital, as many as 14 doctors were involved in the treatment of the patient.

The doctors have confirmed that blood is flowing to his fingers in both the hands, which initially remained a concern for them. Seven days after conducting the surgery, the doctors termed it as a successful operation.

"Many doctors have performed as a team and conducted a difficult surgery. It is good to see that a patient has received a fresh lease of life after his palms were severed from the body," a senior official at the hospital said.