The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
FARIDABAD, JANUARY 23, 2024
In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Amrita Hospital in Faridabad has successfully conducted India’s first-ever hand transplantation on a 64-year-old man who had previously undergone a kidney transplant. This milestone, a first not only in North India but also the second such case globally, involved two intricate hand-transplant surgeries lasting approximately 17 hours each. The procedures took place in the last week of December 2023.
Gautam Tayal, the 64-year-old patient from Delhi, had lost his left hand just above the wrist in an industrial accident two years ago. Having undergone a kidney transplant a decade ago, he was already on immunosuppressants. The hand he received belonged to a 40-year-old man declared brain dead after a head injury. The family of the deceased generously donated various organs, including hands, which were flown from Thane near Mumbai to Faridabad. Dr. Mohit Sharma, Professor & Head, Centre for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Amrita Hospital, stated, “This is not only North India’s first-ever hand transplantation but also the first one in the country conducted on a kidney transplant patient. This is a very rare and exciting feat in medical science.”
The second hand transplantation involved a 19-year-old youth, Devansh Gupta, from Delhi, who lost both upper limbs and the right lower limb above the knee in a train accident three years ago. The hands for this transplant were obtained from a 33-year-old man in Surat declared brain dead due to a chronic lung condition. Dr. Anil Murarka, Senior Consultant, Centre for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Amrita Hospital, explained, “The patient’s right limb was transplanted at the upper arm level, and the left limb just above the elbow level. The higher the level of amputation, the more challenging the hand transplant becomes.”
Both patients are expected to undergo a recovery period ranging from 6 to 18 months and will require lifelong immunosuppression to prevent rejection of the new hands. The success of these complex operations can be attributed to the efforts of a multidisciplinary team, including consultants in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Anesthesiology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Nephrology, Pathology, and Physical Medicine.
Gautam Tayal, expressing his gratitude, said, “This hand transplant has gifted me a new lease of life. I am so happy and grateful that God, and Amrita doctors, have given me a second chance to live my life to the full.” Similarly, Devansh Gupta shared, “Getting a new pair of hands seems like a dream come true to me. God has finally answered my prayers. I eagerly look forward to the day when I will feel the first sensation in my hands and be able to move my fingers.”
Swami Nijamritananda Puri, Administrative Director at Amrita Hospital, applauded the medical feat, stating, “This accomplishment is a testament to the world-class infrastructure of our hospital and the exceptional skills of our surgeons.” Dr. Sanjeev Singh, Medical Director at Amrita Hospital, added, “The hand transplant surgery posed a risk of kidney failure to the 64-year-old patient, but thanks to the entire team at Amrita, the surgery was a success.”
The successful transplantation surgeries highlight Amrita Hospital’s emergence as a leading institution for hand transplants, showcasing both medical expertise and cutting-edge infrastructure.
