Madh resident’s thumb and index finger severed in an accident, rejoined in an intricate surgery at Raksha Hospital, Malad West

MUMBAI: In a delicate and sensitive surgery performed at the Raksha Multispeciality Hospital at Malad West in suburban Mumbai, a patient whose entire thumb and part of the index finger were severed in an accident, was joined by surgeons at the hospital in an intricate surgical process.

Nestor D’souza, a resident of Madh lost his entire thumb and part of the index finger in an accident with grinding equipment. He was rushed to the Raksha Hospital, wherein surgeons operated on him and rejoined the severed thumb and part of the index finger in an intricate surgical process.

The surgery included the use of Kirschner wires or K-wires, which are stiff, straight wires that are used to repair a fracture (broken bone) and provide fixation, allowing the broken bones or bone fragments to heal. K-wires are also commonly called ‘pins’ – Dr Pranav Kabra – Raksha Hospital

Dr Pranav Kabra (MD, Physician)

D’souza was working on a wood-cutting/carpentry machine, when a part of his left hand got accidentally sliced off by the grinding and cutting machine.

According to Dr Pranav Kabra, (M.D. Physician) of the Raksha Hospital, it was a very challenging and intricate process as the patient had lost a lot of blood.

“It was sheer good luck that we were able to operate on D’souza almost immediately after he was admitted in the hospital. The cut fingers have been joined together and the patient is now conscious and will recover completely,” Dr Kabra said.

While it may take some time while the patient recovers the complete use of his left palm and particularly his thumb and forefinger, it is no mean achievement that the severed thumb and finger were able to be joined  together surgically, in spite the loss of a lot of blood. Not to forget the fact that the patient is stable, conscious and can even walk and talk on his own, immediately after surgery.