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Afghan Military Captain Gets Indian Hands in Transplant

ayesha.a

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Afghan Military Captain Gets Indian Hands in Transplant



Kochi: A 30-year-old Afghan military captain from Kandahar, who lost his hands while defusing mines in the war torn country, now has two Indian hands - thanks to a successful transplant carried out at an institute in Kochi.

Abdul Rahim lost both his hands during demining operations in Kandahar three years ago. His will be, perhaps, the first case of twin-hand transplant on any citizen in Afghanistan.

Abdul Rahim approached Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences four months ago, after scouting for hand transplant in several countries. The donor was a 54-year-old brain dead accident victim from Kerala.

The transplant was carried out in a marathon surgical procedure lasting for almost 15 hours with more than 20 surgeons and eight anaesthetics participating in it last month.

"Rahim has regained considerable amount of function of both his hands using them for day-to-day activities. He will need intensive physiotherapy for another 9 to 10 months, for which he will have to stay back in Kochi," said Subramania Iyer, Professor and Head of the Plastic Surgery department.

"Each hand required connecting two bones, two arteries, four veins and about 14 tendons. The immune suppressant drugs were started before the start of the surgery and continued after it," he said.

Prem Nair, Medical Director of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (AIMS) said that the family of the accident victim was counselled for the donation and they agreed after confirming that the hands will be replaced by prosthetic limbs to reduce deformity of the dead.

The hospital authorities claimed the second successful double hands transplant carried out at AIMS is yet another milestone in organ transplant in the country.

The first such transplant in the country was also done four months ago at the Kochi-based hospital and the recipient, 30-year-old Manu is progressing extremely well, doing all routine activities, they said.
 
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The Afghan captain probably never would have imagined that he will get new hands again..The progress in Medical Sciences is really amazing.

This event shows that we not only extend our hand for shaking hands, but we can donate one too when it is required.

Great job done by the family of the donors and the team of doctors in AIMS, Kochi.
 
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The Afghan captain probably never would have imagined that he will get new hands again..The progress in Medical Sciences is really amazing.

This event shows that we not only extend our hand for shaking hands, but we can donate one too when it is required.

Great job done by the family of the donors and the team of doctors in AIMS, Kochi.

The hospital authorities claimed the second successful double hands transplant carried out at AIMS is yet another milestone in organ transplant in the country.

The first such transplant in the country was also done four months ago at the Kochi-based hospital and the recipient, 30-year-old Manu is progressing extremely well, doing all routine activities, they said.
 
Doctors treating him said that by his account he had defused about 2,000 mines in his career. He arrived in Delhi in 2014 and all searches for a hand transplant had failed when a Delhi-based plastic surgeon referred him to the hospital here. Mr. Rahim has been waiting in Kochi over the last four months for a suitable donor.

The donor is the family of 54-year-old Joseph from Eloor, who succumbed to brain death in a road accident. A team of 20 surgeons and eight anaesthetics led by Dr. Subramaniam Iyer completed the complicated hand transplant procedure. Mr. Rahim greeted the family members of the donor with folded hands.
 
What about his finger prints? Does he now bears the identity of the Keralite man?
 
What about his finger prints? Does he now bears the identity of the Keralite man?
That's an interesting question really.. Probably someone with Medical background can answer that better.

I am of the opinion that, as his tissues will go on regenerating, his finger print will change according to his own DNA.
 
Ministry of Science & Technology
06-September, 2015 19:44 IST
Dr. Harsh Vardhan Dedicates to the Nation, the Centre of Excellence in Organ Transplantation at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi

Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan is to formally dedicate the Centre of Excellence in Organ Transplantation at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Kochi on September 08, 2015 (Tuesday). Amrita Institute has emerged as one of the largest centres in India, carrying out organ transplantations. Kerala Chief Minister Shri Oomen Chandy and the Kerala Health Minister Shri V.S. Shivakumar are also to be present on the occasion. Malayalam cine actor Shri Mohanlal, who will be the brand ambassador for Organ Donation, is also to be present.

Over the last 15 years, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre has carried out about 900 cases of transplantations, which includes heart, small intestine, pancreas, bone marrow besides liver and kidney. It is the only facility in South East Asia to carry out hand transplants – the first on a 30-year-old man from Kerala and the second on an ex-army captain from Afghanistan.

Transplantation of organs include tissue like Bone Marrow, solid organs like liver, heart, kidney, lung, small intestine, pancreas and composite tissue like hands and face. The organs can be donated by live donors for certain organs or procured from brain dead deceased donors. Such services are backed by a team of specialist doctors, paramedics and support services.

On the occasion, the family of the donors of the first two twin hand transplants in the country will also be felicitated for their exemplary action, which has given a boost to organ donation drive in the country.

The first hand transplant in the country was carried out on January 12, 2015 on a 30 year old youth named Manu, who lost both his hands in a train accident three years back. Following the success of this procedure, the second bilateral hand transplant was carried out on April 10, 2015 on Abdul Rahim, an Afghanistan soldier who lost his both hands in a mine blast. Both these recipients have started using their hands for day to day activities. These two transplants were a team effort, involving about 25 surgeons, 10 anaesthetists, and physicians. The team, which worked behind the path breaking events in the field of Composite tissue allotransplants in the country, will also be honoured on the occasion.
 
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