A 37-year-old manufacturing worker underwent an extremely complicated arm replantation procedure at Narayana Health in Howrah, setting a new standard for medical excellence. The patient’s left arm was traumatically amputated above the elbow as a result of a serious accident he had sustained while handling machinery.

The patient had lost a substantial amount of blood and had arrived in shock two to three hours after the event. His serious condition was promptly stabilized by the Emergency Department upon arrival. While the surgery was being planned, the severed arm—which was smeared in grease and soot from the accident—was cleaned and kept in a refrigerator.

Following the optimization of the patient’s condition, the complex work of reattaching the amputated leg was undertaken by a skilled surgical team under the direction of Dr. Aditya Kanoi, Consultant Plastic and Microvascular Surgeon at Narayana Health, Howrah & Chunavati. The eight hours of rigorous operation involve reconnecting the arm’s key structures in a methodical and progressive manner.

The team’s initial goal was to remove all damaged tissue from the severed limb and the amputation stump. After that, the injuries were assessed to determine whether replantation was feasible. They carefully reattached the arm’s bones, arteries, veins, nerves, muscles, tendons, and skin once it was decided that the arm could be replanted. To restore damaged nerves and guarantee appropriate wound closure, further treatments were performed.

Following surgery, the patient’s and the replanted arm’s health were continuously followed, and they received extensive intensive care unit (ICU) care that included daily wound dressings, blood transfusions, and psychological counseling to help them deal with the trauma of the disaster. Physiotherapy was started to speed up recovery and regain mobility once the surgical wounds had healed and the bones had fused.

This procedure demonstrates both the human spirit’s tenacity and the progress made in microvascular reconstructive procedures.

Even though the patient’s path to complete rehabilitation is still ongoing, his tenacity and fortitude have been crucial to his recuperation. Narayana Health, Howrah is unwavering in its commitment to assisting him in regaining his life and promoting his recovery.

Priyanka Dutta