Hand Transplant in AIMS

Doctors of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center have successfully tansplanted India’s first hand transplant, rare surgery that has been done in 110 cases so far around the world but it will be known only after two weeks whether the body of the recipient has accepted it or not as is the case in many such surgeries.
The surgery was conducted on Tuesday for over 16 hours on a 30-year-old youth, who had lost his hands in a train accident. The transplanted organ was taken from a brain-dead 24-year-old accident victim with same bloood group.
Manu, the recipient belongs to Thodupuzha in Idukki District of Kerala. Dr. Subramania Iyer, head of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Amrita Hospital, said, “Technically everything went well. It may take another 10-14 days before confirming the acceptance of the limbs by the recipient.”
A report in the Indian Science Journal said both the blood group and lymphocyte of the donor and recipient were matching and there are many chances of it turning into India’s first such successful surgery.
Dr. Iyer is upbeat about the success of limb transplant and its failure may mean removing the organ since hands and legs are exterior parts of the body with corrective medication to be taken up in case of rejection by the donor’s body.
If accepted, the hand will take a year to become 90 percent normal though some small muscles may not be equally functional as in a normal hand, he said.
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Jan 24 update: Manu who has undergone bilateral hand transplant last week is progressing very well
Manu who has undergone bilateral hand transplant last week is progressing very well as per hospital sources. In order to provide a infection free environment he is still kept in the Intensive Care Unit. He is planned to be shifted to ward in 3 or 4 days time. Both the transplanted hands are working very well and have been accepted by the body and has started regaining movement of his fingers as per Dr Subramania Iyer. As a part of his physiotherapy regime day to day activities has been encouraged under supervision. The photo shows Manu drinking water holding the glass himself. There was a meeting in Varapuzha organised by the citizens to honour the family of Binoy for their act of exemplary organ donation. Manu with his own hand send a note of gratitude which was taken by the doctors to the meeting.