Ho Chi Minh City: 12-hour surgery successfully reattached two severed hands

Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City have successfully performed a 12-hour surgery to reattach the hands of a man who had severed his hands and was in shock from severe blood loss.

According to information from Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, doctors and nurses at the hospital have just successfully performed surgery to reattach the severed hands of a man.

The surgery required the mobilization of doctors from 3 departments and lasted for 12 hours. On the afternoon of November 6, the patient was discharged from the hospital.

Previously, Mr. PTC (40 years old, in Dong Thap province) was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital at 11:00 p.m. on October 16, in a state of severe blood loss shock, multiple trauma with many wounds on the chest, back and both hands; in which one hand was completely severed, the other hand was almost severed, only a part of skin and bone remained.

Immediately after receiving the patient, Cho Ray Hospital activated the red alert procedure, mobilizing forces from the Emergency Department, Orthopedic Department and Anesthesia and Resuscitation Department to coordinate the treatment. After performing a blood transfusion and stabilizing the hemodynamics, the man was quickly taken straight to the operating room that same night.

Hospital doctors reattached the victim's severed hand. Photo: VNA

First, the doctors performed initial treatment on both limbs, cleaning, immobilizing the bones, and preparing for microsurgery. By dawn on October 17, the hand microsurgery team continued to reconnect blood vessels, nerves, and tendons to the two hands. With the right hand nearly severed, the doctors combined the bones, reconnected blood vessels, and nerves under a microscope.

Meanwhile, doctors had a hard time treating the left hand, which was completely severed due to the complex injury and unstable hemodynamics. By 1 p.m. on October 18, the surgery was a success, with both hands pink, warm, and showing signs of life.

After a period of treatment, physical therapy, and monitoring of vital signs, PTC's condition has stabilized, both hands are doing well, and he was discharged from the hospital on November 6.

Sharing about the challenges faced by this patient, Dr. Tran Phuoc Binh, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Cho Ray Hospital, said that this is one of the very complicated and stressful surgeries. Due to the complexity of the surgery, the doctors used the technique of reattaching the severed limb using microsurgery - a form of "super surgery" that requires high skills and modern equipment.

Currently, the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Cho Ray Hospital regularly receives complex cases of limb amputation and most of them have had successful limb reattachment surgery.

According to Dr. Tran Phuoc Binh, recently, the unit has received many cases of injuries due to accidents and fights. In particular, injuries due to fights tend to increase, mostly related to conflicts after drinking alcohol. However, not all cases are treated successfully due to lack of timely and proper first aid.

Doctor Binh emphasized the importance of proper first aid: In case of injury, the victim needs to stop the bleeding, quickly preserve the severed limb with a clean bandage placed in a sealed nylon bag, then put the bag in a bucket of ice water (do not soak directly) and quickly transfer the victim to a medical facility capable of performing microsurgery for timely treatment./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-12-gio-phau-thuat-noi-thanh-cong-hai-ban-tay-bi-dut-lia-post1075442.vnp