By Paschal Abu
The first successful bilateral hand transplant has been carried out at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
45-year-old Painter, who lost both his forearms and hands in a tragic train accident in 2020 is about to hold his brush again, thanks to the surgical excellence of a group of Delhi doctors and a woman’s organ donation.
The hands of Meena Mehta, former administrative head of a prominent South Delhi school who was declared brain-dead, came to the 45-year-old rescue.
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Ms Mehta had, during her lifetime, pledged her organs to be used after her death. Her kidney, liver and corneas have transformed the lives of three others.
The surgery, which took more than 12 hours, involved connecting bones and every artery, muscle, tendon and nerve between the donor’s hands and the recipient’s arms.
The dedication paid off and at the end, when the team of healthcare staff posed for a picture, the double thumbs-up by the painter who got his hands back.