In a medical feat for North India, Amrita Hospital in Faridabad has successfully performed hand transplants on two male patients: a 64-year-old and a 19-year-old. These complex surgeries, each lasting about 17 hours, offer a remarkable second chance to individuals who had lost their hands.
For 64-year-old Gautam Tayal, this procedure carries an added layer of significance. He becomes the first kidney transplant recipient in India, and only the second globally, to receive a successful hand transplant. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for organ transplant patients who previously grappled with additional loss of limb function.
Both surgeries took place in the final week of December 2023, and their success paves the way for further advancements in reconstructive surgery in the region. These life-changing procedures will not only restore physical capacity but also enhance the quality of life for the recipients, empowering them to reclaim their independence and redefine their everyday tasks.
Gautam Tayal, a 64-year-old Delhi resident, knows the value of second chances. Ten years ago, a kidney transplant granted him a renewed lease on life. Now, after losing his left hand in a factory accident two years ago, fate presented him with another astonishing opportunity – North India’s first-ever hand transplant, performed at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad.
The donor, a 40-year-old man from Thane, tragically declared brain dead after a head injury, gave Gautam a precious gift: the gift of touch. This remarkable feat, not only a first for North India but also the first-ever hand transplant performed on a kidney transplant recipient in the country, is a testament to the cutting-edge expertise of Amrita Hospital’s Centre for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Leading the complex 17-hour surgery, Dr. Mohit Sharma explains the intricacies of this life-changing procedure: “It was a delicate dance of reconnecting two worlds – bone to bone, artery to artery, nerve to nerve. We meticulously joined two bones, two arteries, 25 tendons, and 5 nerves, giving Gautam a new chance to grasp life again.
This groundbreaking accomplishment marks a significant milestone in Indian healthcare, showcasing the ability to push boundaries and offer exceptional care to patients like Gautam. It opens doors for countless individuals waiting for similar life-altering opportunities, whispering a promise of regained independence and a future filled with newfound possibilities.
The second hand transplantation involved a 19-year-old man, Devansh Gupta, hailing from Delhi, who lost both upper limbs and the right lower limb above the knee in a train accident three years ago.
Devansh received two hands from a 33-year-old man from Surat, declared brain dead due to a chronic and fatal lung condition in Faridabad.
Dr. Anil Murarka explained that the patient’s right limb was transplanted at the upper arm level, while the left limb was transplanted just above the elbow level. The complexity increases with the level of amputation, and upper arm-level hand transplants pose profound technical challenges.
Doctors reported that Gupta’s progress has been excellent, and he is scheduled for post-transplant procedures in the coming months.
Expressing happiness, both Gautam Tayal and Devansh Gupta shared that the transplant has offered them a “second chance” and “new hopes in life.