In first bilateral hand transplant in north India, dying patient saves four lives

NEW DELHI: Demonstrating selfless care for others, Meena Mehta's (Admin. Head, Erst. VP, New Greenfields School, Kalkaji ) posthumous organ donation has given the gift of life to many individuals. A silent crusader for humanity, she pledged her organs, with the consent of her family, to help those in need.

One of her kidneys found its way to Fortis Gurgaon, offering a new lease of life to a patient on the brink of despair. Simultaneously, both her hands, liver, and corneas became instruments of transformation at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, opening up new possibilities for the recipients. "This successful tale of cadaver organ donation unfolds as a testament to the compassion and selflessness that thrive even in the face of loss," Sir Gangaram Hospital said in a statement.

The hospital also undertook North India's first bilateral hand transplantation when Mehta's hands were transplanted to Rahul (name changed), a 45-year-old resident of Nangloi, Delhi, who had lost both his hands in a tragic accident while crossing a railway track in October 2020. After a painstakingly long operation lasting more than 12 hours, two arms from Mehta were transplanted successfully to Rahul. The surgical process, a first of its kind in North India, was nothing short of extraordinary.

A dedicated team of surgeons collaborated to execute this intricate procedure, delicately reattaching various components, including bones, arteries, veins, tendons, muscles, nerves, and skin. Precision and expertise were the keys to ensuring the seamless integration of the transplanted hands into Rahul's body.

Dr AK Bhalla, secretary, BOM and chairman, Department of Nephrology, Sir Gangaram Hospital, said, "A recipient of kidney transplant was a tech professional on hemodialysis for the last 11 years, and she is recovering fast." Dr Ajay Swaroop, chairman and BOM, Sir Gangaram Hospital, said, "Multi-organ transplant team worked for 12 hours to perform these transplants of the liver, kidney, both hands and corneas. This is the first bilateral hand transplant in north India."

"The surgical process, a first of its kind in North India, was nothing short of extraordinary. A dedicated team of surgeons led by Dr Mahesh Mangal, Chairman - department of Plastic Surgery, and his team comprising Dr SS Gambhir, Dr Anubhav Gupta, Dr Bheem Nanda and Dr Nikhil Jhunjhunwala collaborated tirelessly to execute this intricate procedure, delicately reattaching various components, including bones, arteries, veins, tendons, muscles, nerves, and skin. Precision and expertise were the key, ensuring the seamless integration of the transplanted hands into Rahul's body," Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said in a statement.