Doctor Vo Thai Trung, Binh Duong General Hospital, tells about the rare temporary hand-to-foot transplant, saving the mother and two fetuses.

SKĐS - A 23-week pregnant woman with twins was admitted to the hospital with her right hand severed due to a work accident. To preserve living tissue and ensure the safety of the mother and her two fetuses, doctors at Binh Duong General Hospital temporarily grafted the hand onto her leg nearly two months before performing the complex reattachment surgery at 34 weeks of pregnancy.

This is one of the special cases, requiring absolute precision in microsurgery and high sense of responsibility from the medical team.

Reporter of Health and Life Newspaper interviewed Dr. Vo Thai Trung, Deputy Head of Orthopedic Trauma Department, Binh Duong General Hospital, main surgeon, about the professional factors and pressure in this humane surgery.

BSCKII Vo Thai Trung (first person, right) and the surgical team. Photo: BVCC.

PV: When receiving a 23-week pregnant woman with a severed hand, what made the team decide to temporarily graft the hand onto her leg before performing surgery to reattach it?

Dr. Vo Thai Trung: In that situation, our top priority is to ensure the safety of the pregnant woman and the twins. The temporary hand grafting to the lower leg aims to maintain blood flow, keep the tissue alive and minimize the surgery time during the premature pregnancy. This option helps limit blood loss, reduce anesthesia time, and reduce the use of drugs that can affect the fetus. This is a mandatory measure if we want to preserve the hand, while not putting the mother and fetus at higher risk.

Temporary hand transplant on the lower leg (left photo) and hand reattachment (right photo). Photo: BVCC.

Reporter: The surgery to reattach the hand after nearly two months of "temporary care" was a huge challenge. How did the team prepare for the reconstruction of the forearm segment longer than 15 cm?

Dr. Vo Thai Trung: We have to reconstruct the entire forearm structure using microsurgery techniques. This includes bones, tendons, muscles, skin, blood vessels and nerves. All must simulate the correct physiological anatomy so that the hand can live and move later. All operations are performed under an electron microscope to achieve absolute precision, avoiding the risk of post-transplant thrombosis. Meanwhile, it is mandatory that anticoagulants or supportive interventions must be carefully considered so as not to affect the health of the mother and the two fetuses.

The next phase of recovery is also very important. The patient must comply with the physical therapy and rehabilitation program properly so that the hand can move again.

On the morning of December 2, the health of the pregnant woman P. was good. Currently, her vital signs were stable, her hands were pink, and she could move the fingertips of her connected hand. Photo: Kim Thu

PV: The doctor once shared that "a promise to a patient is a promise that must be fulfilled with responsibility". What made you determined to follow through with this very long and stressful surgery?

Dr. Vo Thai Trung: Patients come to us with the desire to receive proper support, honest information and treatment with all the hospital has to offer. If we put ourselves in the position of the patient or their relatives, we understand that we must try our best. Especially in this case, the mother is about to have two small children.

The hand is not only a part of the body, but also a means for her to take care of her family and her two children after giving birth. That is why we have to try with all our expertise, equipment, and professional responsibility to save her hand.

PV: The pregnant woman is currently being monitored at the Obstetrics Department. What are you and your team most worried about in the next stage?

BSCKII Vo Thai Trung: Colleagues in the Obstetrics Department work very professionally and have a high sense of responsibility. We feel very secure when working with them.

In addition to obstetrics, many other specialties are also working closely to ensure the safety of the pregnant woman and her two fetuses. The Board of Directors of Binh Duong General Hospital directly monitors and promptly directs any problems that arise. What we are most focused on now is to avoid infection, ensure stable circulation of the hand and support the pregnant woman with nutrition and spirit to achieve "a safe mother and child".

PV: Thank you very much, doctor.

On the morning of December 2, the latest information from Binh Duong General Hospital said:

Currently, doctors are monitoring the signs of pregnant women who are likely to give birth early. Continue to monitor closely if there are signs of labor favorable for the mother to give birth naturally. If not favorable, a cesarean section will be performed. If there are no signs of labor, the mother will be allowed to continue the pregnancy until the 37th week.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/bac-si-vo-thai-trung-bvdk-binh-duong-ke-ve-ca-gep-tam-ban-tay-vao-chan-hiem-gap-cuu-me-va-hai-thai-nhi-169251201174916865.htm