The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical and Research (Jipmer) performed its first transplant of both the forearms and hands of a 50-year-old brain-dead donor to a 16-year-old bilateral below-elbow amputee.
Complimenting the surgery team, S.C. Parija, Director, Jipmer, said the milestone procedure for the institution, which was granted licence for reconstructive cadaveric transplants in August 2016, was performed free of cost.
The multidisciplinary team which performed the 16-hour surgery was led by Dr. Dinesh Kumar S, Chief Reconstructive Transplant Surgeon, Department of Plastic Surgery.
The Jipmer Director also expressed appreciation for the exemplary gesture of the family of Rathinambal – the brain-dead donor – who readily came forward to donate the organs even though they were illiterate and came from a poor family. Their noble act has saved the lives of two patients who received her kidneys, restored the vision of two patients who received her cornea, and returning functionality to one patient who received her hands, Dr. Parija said.
On August 1, Rathinambal, 50, a resident of R C Melakunthai colony, Vikkravandi Post, Villupuram, sustained a head injury after falling from a two-wheeler. She was treated in Vikkravandi GH and later referred to JIPMER when she lost consciousness. At Jipmer, her condition continued to worsen and subsequent tests confirmed that she had irreversible brain damage and the hopelessness of the situation was conveyed to her daughter Shanthi and her son-in-law T.V. Natarajan. Despite the tragedy, the family came forward to donate the organs of the patient as they felt that it would help others.
Family’s consent
According to Jipmer, in a first, the family agreed to donate both her hands in addition to her internal organs. As it was a medico-legal case, the police station concerned was intimated to conduct an inquest to proceed for organ donation.
Ilancheizhiyan, inspector of police, Vikkravandi police station, readily came to Jipmer on time and did the inquest and completed other medico-legal formalities, thus facilitating the organ donation process.
The complex procedure involved detaching both the forearms and hands of the donor and reattaching them in a specific sequence to the adequately prepared amputated stump of the recipient.
The medical team included plastic surgeons, transplant coordinator, transplant anaesthesia, orthopaedic surgeons and a team of 10 OT nurses.
The rehabilitation team provided a pair of prosthesis for the living cadaver donor and will be providing vital follow-up to the hand transplant recipient.
