First of its Kind Microvascular 'Foot to Hand' Transplant Surgery Performed Successfully in Jammu and Kashmir

Dr Adil Hafeez, Head of the Department of Plastic and Microvascular Surgery at SKIMS said that in a first of its kind surgery, they successfully transplanted the toes of a 20-year-old youth, who had severed his hand in a machine losing three of his fingers of his hand, reportes ETV Bharat's Parvez ud din.

Srinagar: The Department of Plastic and Microvascular Surgery at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura has successfully performed the first of its kind surgery transplanting the toes of a 20-year-old to his hand. The pioneering microvascular surgery marks a significant milestone for health sector in the region.

In a special conversation with ETV Bharat's Parvez Ud Din, Dr. Adil Hafeez, Head of the Department of Plastic and Microvascular Surgery at SKIMS, said that this type of surgery is the first of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir and is only performed at a few hospitals across the country due to its complexity and delicate nature.

Divulging further details about the rare surgery, Dr Adil said that the patient, a 20-year-old, had come to the hospital a few months back with three fingers of his right hand completely severed by a machine with only his thumb and little finger remaining. After initial treatments, the patient was unable to use his right hand for any tasks, Dr Adil said adding the only solution to restore function to the affected hand was to transplant a toe. Preparing the patient mentally for this intricate surgery was challenging, added Dr Adil.

Dr Adil noted that the operation was not easy by any means. If the surgery had failed, not only the patient's hand remain non-functional, but he would have also lost a toe, he said. However, the expertise of the doctors and the facilities available at the plastic surgery department of SKIMS Soura ensured the operation's success. The 12-hour procedure also benefited greatly from the critical support of the anesthesia department, said Dr Adil.

He said that the patient is currently recovering in the hospital and is gradually regaining health. It is hoped that this surgery will restore function to his hand, enabling him to perform tasks normally and improve his quality of life in the future.