Indian plastic surgeons performed a rare surgery in which a 22-year old-man's hand was successfully replaced after being severed in an accident at a sawmill.

Rauf from Nadamalpoyil, Kozhikode lost his palm in an accident that occurred at a sawmill in Manipuram in southern India on October 5. A bull had broken free and was running through the streets and charged Rauf from behind, who spotted it and ran into the sawmill, severing his left hand after he fell over.

Rauf and his severed hand were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where a plastic surgery team lead by a Dr Krishnakumar successfully replaced the severed palm in a 12-hour long 2-stage surgery.

The first surgery, which took more than 7 hours, re-attached his minute blood vessels and bones. 3 days later, in a 5-hour-long second stage surgery, the doctors were able to reconstruct his nerves and muscles.

Rauf left hospital after four days and his hands have regained 90 percent of their functionality. It is believed with physiotherapy in the next two to three months, he will be able to regain full functionality of his hand.

Dr Krishnakumar, who led the surgery pointed out that: “In this case, it was the presence of mind displayed by Rauf’s colleagues who brought the sliced off palm in a bag of ice that was crucial to the patient’s recovery.”

Plastic surgeons at Aster MIMS performed a rare surgery in which the accidentally chopped off palm of a 22 year old man was successfully replaced. Rauf from Nadamalpoyil, Kozhikode lost his palm in an accident that occurred at a Saw-mill in Manipuram.

On October 5th, Rauf, was at the Saw-mill looking to buy wood for his domestic requirements. Suddenly a stampeding bull dashed at him. While Rauf managed to successfully run away from the bull, he ran into the working saw-mill and through an unfortunate freak accident, his hands were severed by the blade. Rauf and his completely severed palm was immediately rushed to Aster MIMS Kozhikode.

The plastic surgery team lead by Dr Krishnakumar, Senior Consultant and Head, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Aster MIMS successfully replaced the severed palm in a 12-hour long 2-stage surgery. The first surgery which took more than 7 hours re-attached his minute blood vessels and bones. 3 days later, in a 5 hour long second stage surgery, the doctors were able to reconstruct his nerves and muscles.

Rauf left hospital after four days later and his hands have regained 90 percent of its functionality. With physiotherapy in the two to three months, he will be able to regain full functionality of his hand.

Dr Krishnakumar, Senior Consultant and Head, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Aster MIMS said, “In this case, it was the presence of mind displayed by Rauf’s colleagues who brought the sliced off palm in a bag of ice that was crucial to the patient’s recovery.”