Watch: Amputated Hand Re-Implantation Surgery

Since the first replant more than 50 years ago, thousands of severed body parts have been reattached, preserving the quality of life for thousands of patients through improved function and appearance that the void remaining after amputation cannot provide. Ronald Malt performed the first replantation on May 23, 1962 at Massachusetts General Hospital on a 12-year-old boy who had his right arm amputated in a train accident.This amputation occurred at the level of the humeral neck.

This first replantation was performed with an intramedullary steel rod for internal fixation and involved repair of the brachial artery; both communicating brachial veins; and the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. Malt performed another replant and reported on these in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 1964. In a later report, this original patient was described to achieve some functional recovery of the replanted right arm after tendon transfers and wrist arthrodesis.
Since Malt’s first replant, technological advances and the use of the microscope have made possible the replantation of other parts, including thumbs, fingers, ears, scalps, facial parts, and genitalia.

HAND REIMPLANTATION IS POSSIBLE AND VERY SUCCESSFUL IF THE AMPUTATED PART WAS BROUGTH EARLY TO THE SURGICAL UNIT WITHIN 6 HOURS AND IN A CLEAN DOUBLE PLASTIC BAG IN SOME ICE PROVIDING THE AMPUTATED PART IS NOT CRUSHED .IN OUR CASE THIS A CLEAN STRAIGHT CUTHAND INJURY .THE POST OPERATIV RESULT IN OUR CASE IS AFTER ONE YEAR FROM CONTINOUS PHYSIOTHERPY AND A GOOD CO OPERATED PATIENT.