Narayana Health City’s doctors successfully reattach school-going boy’s thumb, offering new hope and life

Team Udayavani, Jul 21, 2023, 10:40 AM IST

A highly experienced multidisciplinary team at Narayana Health City achieved a groundbreaking milestone recently by successfully reattaching the thumb of 15-year-old Mangilal, who suffered a complete amputation of thumb while playing with a wood-cutting machine. The remarkable surgery, which lasted six hours, highlights the institution’s exceptional medical expertise and dedication to patient care.

Mangilal’s severed thumb, preserved carefully, was promptly brought to Narayana Health City’s emergency department. The skilled medical team evaluated the case and quickly devised a comprehensive treatment plan for the immediate re-implantation of the thumb. Utilizing microsurgical techniques and a microscope, the team expertly repaired the arteries, veins, and nerves, ensuring proper blood flow and functionality of the thumb.

Following the surgery, Mangilal received close monitoring and post-operative care, leading to a smooth recovery. Remarkably, within just five days, he was discharged with his thumb intact, allowing him to regain vital hand functions such as grasping, gripping, and fine motor skills.

The thumb holds immense importance in hand functionality, accounting for approximately 40% of hand movements related to grasping, gripping, and fine motor skills. The successful re-implantation ensures that Mangilal can regain these crucial functions and resume a normal life.

Dr. Ravi DR, consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Narayana Health Orthopaedics, Spine and Trauma Care, Bengaluru, the lead surgeon for this complicated case, expressed his satisfaction with the successful outcome and said, “Thumb re-implantation surgeries require intricate microsurgical techniques and a skilled multidisciplinary team. In such cases, the first few hours are extremely crucial. When such cases occur one must keep the amputated part wrapped in a gauze piece or in a cloth piece which has to be kept in a polythene bag. Then the polythene bag should be kept in an ice chamber. With the positive outcome, Mangilal has been enabled to regain his hand’s functionality after six hours of surgery and later brief period of physiotherapy”

The teen’s parents expressed their gratitude for the exceptional care provided by Narayana Health, stating, “We are immensely thankful to the entire medical team at Narayana Health for their expertise, compassion, and dedication throughout our son’s treatment. Their remarkable skill and guidance have given him a chance at a normal life again.”

This successful thumb re-implantation surgery further solidifies Narayana Health’s position as a leading healthcare institution at the forefront of innovative medical procedures. With an unwavering commitment to exceptional healthcare services and the pursuit of medical excellence, Narayana Health continues to transform lives and provide new hope for patients in need.

Media Release