Landmark reimplantation surgery at CMRI

Joy Roy Choudhury - Kolkata

Though the history of successful reimplantation surgery of limbs dates back to 1962, in India it is being done in select few centers only, as this surgery is technically demanding and needs the services of highly trained microvascular surgeon.

Dr Anupam Golash -consultant plastic, hand and microvascular surgeon, now routinely does reimplantation surgery in Eastern India, a service, which was not available till five years ago in this part of the country. A 45-year-old male patient (Bablu Koley) had complete amputation of his right hand through the distal palm while working on a steel cutting machine in Howrah.

He was rushed to the ‘emergency ward’ of the city-based Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI) with the cut hand in a plastic bag. Amputed part had four fingers attached to the palm. He was attended by the EMO who immediately consulted Dr Golash. After assessing the condition of the amputed part under microscope, the patient was wheeled into the OT.

His right arm was made insensate by a special regional anaesthetic technique called brachial block by Dr Subir Basuthakur. Under microscope the all-important cut structures were identified in the amputed part and the patients remaining attached hand. Bones were fixed with K-wires and all the tendons, nerves, arteries and veins were joined in a long surgery lasting about 12 hours. After a programme of rehabilitation over the next three months, the patient will be able to do most of the things with his reimplanted hand, say Dr Golash.