Doctors at Panacea Hospital rejoined amputated arms of a worker

In a medical breakthrough, surgeons and orthopedics at Panacea Hospital, Bangalore treated a patient who had been in an industrial mishap by rejoining his amputated arms. Chetan, 18, was working at the paper cutting machine in a printing press where a mishap caused him to lose both his arms above the wrists. Had it not been for the presence of mind of his fellow colleagues and timely treatment of the doctors, Chetan would have to spend rest of his life as a handicap. Immediately after the incident, the colleagues made the right decision of sealing the amputated arms in a plastic bag and brought them to the hospital, where the surgeons rejoined them in a surgery.

The four and a half hour surgery was conducted by Dr. Vasudev K, orthopedic surgeon and Dr. Priyadarshan, consultant Plastic and Micro Vascular surgeon, Panacea Hospital. In the surgery, the amputated limbs were reattached by the doctors. The surgery was performed just in time to restore the functioning of the arms. Doctors are expecting that full use of the arms would be resumed in a few months. “We have been successful in rejoining both the amputated arms after an emergency surgery spanning over several hours. Though the patient has a long way to go before both hands could become fully functional like earlier, the signs are encouraging,” said Dr. Jayanna, Managing Director of Panacea Hospital.

Chetan, exhausted and a little dis-oriented from the surgery, thanked the doctors at the Panacea hospitals. The biggest respite for this youngster was that he could still work and support his family financially. He also expressed his gratitude towards his friends who got him to hospital in time and preserved the amputated limb to be used by the doctors.