COIMBATORE: A native of Kerala working in Saudi Arabia, whose thumb and index finger got amputated in an accident, got a thumb “transplant” after a rare, four hour surgery at a city hospital.
It was thumbs up again for 38 year-old patient, Umar Kutty from Kerala, who owns a furniture shop in Saudi Arabia. He lost his left index and thumb fingers while he was working with a plywood cutting machine. His index was reattached in his thumb position successfully after 36 hours of rare surgery at Ganga Hospital recently.
Ganga Hospital Department of Plastic, hand and reconstructive microsurgery and burns director, Dr. S. Raja Sabapathy said, “The thumb will get sensation in a few months and he will not have any disability. It is possible to reattach the finger because the Saudi Arabia hospital had properly packed the amputated parts which are most important for the success of this surgery.”
On the evening of 5 October 5, Umar Kutty was cutting a plywood with a machine when his index finger and thumb of left hand got amputated.
He was immediately rushed to the National Hospital along with his amputated fingers. He was given first aid and referred the patient to Riyadh Care Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Since microsurgery facility was not available at Riyadh Care Hospital, they said that it was not possible to reattach the fingers. But Umar Kutty was very keen to have his fingers reattached. For, without the thumb he would be unable to do his furniture work.
Riyadh Care Hospital packed the amputated fingers properly and gave it to the patient. Next evening, Umar Kutty reached Kochiand he was immediately rushed to the Ganga Hospital by road in the early hours of October 7.
Doctors at Ganga Hospital felt that the amputated thumb was very badly injured and not fit for reattachment. Since the length of the thumb is very valuable for the function of the hand, the amputated index finger was reattached in the position of the thumb. About 36 hours after he lost his thumb, he got it back.
