The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : A surgical wonder indeed

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Thursday, Apr 03, 2008
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A surgical wonder indeed

Correspondent

Severed palm of a man replanted successfully

CUTTACK: A tragic blow had struck the 35-year-old Pradip Majhi of Baliapal area in Balasore district when his left palm was completely severed from wrist. It occurred on March 13 when he was working in his rice mill. But, Mr. Majhi was not nervous. He picked up the severed palm lying at a distance and called his friends for help. He was immediately shifted to the nearby hospital where he was given the first aid. Later, he was taken to Geeta Memorial Hospital located at Jobra in Cuttack where a plastic surgeon was waiting to perform the reconstruction surgery on him.

After a gruesome travel of seven hours from his native place to the hospital and a surgery for over six hours, Mr. Majhi’s severed palm was back on his wrist, thanks to the work of three surgeons led by the plastic surgeon, Bibhuti Bhusan Naik. Re-plantation surgeries in joining severed parts to the main body have come of age in the State now.

The recent successful re-plantation surgery brings a ray of hope for workers employed in hazardous and dangerous industrial units and particularly road mishap victims who lose vital body parts.

Difficult task

“We have rejoined two cut-off arteries, three veins to ensure proper blood circulation and two nerves for proper sensation to the palm,” said Dr. Naik. The bone, tissues, muscles and nerves were repaired to regain its original functions after necessary physiotherapy, he told The Hindu.

“Industrial accidents are now common as young un-skilled workers are exposed to hazardous situations. But, there is a hope for these victims,” said J.P. Biswal of the hospital who accompanied Dr. Naik to perform the surgery.

Throwing light on this surgical wonder, Dr. Naik pointed out that earlier, re-plantation of body parts in the State were done to regain the cosmetic beauty of the body.

But the recent surgeries, which cost around Rs. 50,000, including the post-operation management, are done to regain the function of the severed part.

A word of caution

He, however, cautions that the accident victim has to be operated as soon as possible after the mishap by the right surgeons. Steps must be taken to arrest the bleeding of the body while the severed part has to be properly preserved till operation. He suggests that the severed part has to be properly washed with sterile or even clean ordinary water and has to be brought to the hospital properly wrapped preferably in ice-packed polythene.

If clean ordinary water is not available then the severed part may be washed in a tap water, he suggests.

Mr. Majhi now hopes to return back to his village and after physiotherapy for some months he hopes to be back to his work.

“Running the mill, Mr. Majhi supports his family of six,” said one of his relatives attending on him in the hospital for almost three weeks now.

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