Global Hospitals Mumbai receives license from Director of Health Services, Maharashtra for hand transplantation

The average operating time for single hand transplant is 8-10 hours and double hand transplant is 15-18 hours

Global Hospitals Mumbai has received license from Director of Health Services, Maharashtra, to perform hand transplantation. Hand transplantation is a life changing surgical procedure to transplant one or both hands from a brain-dead patient to the one who is in a need of a limb.

“Hand transplant is a complex procedure requiring highly specialised surgeons, trained in hand and reconstructive microsurgery. The average operating time for single hand transplant is 8-10 hours and double hand transplant is 15-18 hours. Pre-operative matching of the donor and recipient is performed to judge the compatibility for transplantation. Just before the surgery, the recipient is started with immunosuppressive medications, to avoid rejection of the transplanted part. Surgery consists of harvesting the hands from the brain-dead donor. The donor is fitted with an artificial (prosthetic) hand to avoid social and psychological issues related to the visible mutilation. The donor hand is then attached to the recipient stump part by part. Bones are fixed first followed by repair of the major blood vessels, tendons, nerves and the skin,” explained Dr Nilesh G Satbhai, Consultant Plastic, Aesthetic, Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgeon Global Hospitals.

Dr Nilesh G Satbhai, Consultant Plastic, Aesthetic, Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgeon Global Hospitals said, “Hand transplantation today is a valuable treatment option for many patients suffering from complex tissue injuries or defects where conventional reconstruction is not feasible. Global Hospital is widely experienced in management of transplant patients, immunosuppression and treatment of graft rejections. We aim to deliver the best services to the society and the country, and maintain highest ethical standards, through our hand transplant centre.”

EH News Bureau