Mother of two gets new hands after accident, 12 hour transplant brings fresh hope

The Department of Plastic, Cosmetic and Hand Microsurgery at a private hospital has successfully carried out its second bilateral hand transplant on a young mother of two who had lost both hands in a chaff-cutting machine accident. The 12-hour procedure marks a significant development in advanced reconstructive microsurgery at the facility.

The patient had been on a transplant waiting list following the accident, which left her dependent on others for daily activities. A suitable donor was identified after the family of a brain-dead individual agreed to donate the upper limbs, enabling the transplant.

Complex surgery involved multi-stage repair

The procedure involved transplantation of both upper limbs, with the right limb attached at the supracondylar level and the left at the distal forearm level. Surgeons carried out sequential repair of bones, tendons, arteries, veins and major nerve groups under high magnification.


“This successful bilateral hand transplant is a matter of immense pride for the department and the hospital. Such procedures represent the pinnacle of reconstructive microsurgery and offer a second life to patients who have lost both limbs and independence,” Dr Mahesh Mangal said, as quoted by ANI.

“Bilateral hand transplantation is not merely a surgery but a carefully orchestrated sequence where every minute is critical for graft survival. Our goal was not just to restore anatomy, but to help the patient regain dignity and functionality,” Dr Anubhav Gupta said, according to ANI.

“Maintaining tissue viability during prolonged ischemia and ensuring stable skeletal fixation before vascular reperfusion are among the most crucial steps in the procedure,” Dr Bheem Nanda said, as reported by ANI.

“Postoperative care, including immunosuppression, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, will be vital in determining long-term functional recovery,” Dr Nikhil Jhunjhunwala said, according to ANI.

The hospital said the procedure was carried out through a coordinated effort involving specialists from plastic surgery, orthopaedics, anaesthesia, nephrology, neurology, psychiatry, pathology, genetics, physiotherapy, intensive care and hospital administration.

The hospital expressed gratitude to the donor and the donor’s family for consenting to organ donation, stating that their decision has given the patient renewed hope and an opportunity for a better quality of life.