Odisha: SCB MCH doctors reattach severed forearm on woman

CUTTACK: Doctors of SCB Medical College and Hospital achieved a milestone by successfully re-implanting a chopped off forearm of a 48-year-old woman suffering from comorbidity. A team of seven doctors including plastic surgeons, anaesthesiologists and micro-vascular surgeons headed by Prof Arun Choudhury re-implanted the forearm through a complicated surgery which lasted at least eights hours at the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department.

The right forearm of Sukanti Mohanty of Guhalidhia within Tangi police limits in Cuttack district was chopped off by her nephew and others following a family feud on March 4, 2023 at 4 pm.

She was rushed to SCB with the severed forearm and admitted to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department the same day at around 5.20pm. “Sukanti is a heart and lung patient. The point of amputation bore 20 tendons and three important nerves. The team of doctors took up the challenge and successfully re-implanted the chopped off forearm by conjoining blood vessels, nerves and tendons the same day,” said Prof. Choudhury.

While around five litre water, accumulated in her chest, was removed under the guidance Prof MR Patnaik, Prof SN Routray provided necessary treatment for her heart ailment before the re-implantation. As many as nine bottles of blood of AB+ve group were transfused to the patient to make up for loss of blood, informed Prof Choudhury.

A sum of `10 lakh would have been spent if the re-implantation of the chopped off forearm was conducted at any private hospital and Sukanti, who availed the surgery at SCB free of cost, could not have borne the financial burden.

She was kept under close observation after the surgery. After ensuring proper blood flow and sensation in the re-implanted forearm, she was discharged in the presence of SCB MCH superintendent Prof Sudhansu Mishra, administrative officer Abinash Rout, Dr B Mishra and Dr Asish Patnaik on Wednesday.