Beyond Boundaries: Manu and Abdul receive double hand transplants
INDIA’s very first two double hand transplants were carried out successfully at the Amrita Hospital, Kochi, in September 2014 and January 2015, respectively.
Meet Manu, a 30-year-old event management executive who was on a train when he saw a group harassing a female passenger. He rose to confront them, and was violently pushed out of the running train. Tragically, he lost both his hands in the incident.
In another incident, Abdul Rahim, also 30 years old, was a captain in Afghanistan’s Border Security Force. While on duty near the Afghanistan border, he attempted to defuse a mine. It exploded, tearing off the lower end of both of his arms.
The idea of new hands seemed like an impossible dream for both of them: a double hand transplant had never been done in India – or anywhere in South Asia. However, the doctors from Amrita Hospital (Kochi) stretched out a helping hand and created history by performing India’s first and second successful double hand transplants. Abdul Rahim waited four months in Kochi in anticipation of a suitable donor.
Again, after a traffic accident led 54-year-old TT Joseph to brain death, his family wanted to help another lead a full and active life and donated his organs. Manu was helped by the family of Binoy, a 24-year-old accident victim. The family agreed to donate their son’s hands to render a measure of meaning to their own heartbreaking tragedy.
Both patients received their new hands from our doctors in cutting-edge medical procedures. The transplants were carried out in marathon16-hour operations by a team of 20 surgeons and 8 anesthesiologists.
Abdul resumed his job as a bomb squad expert in the war torn country, and according to reports had successfully defused around 2,000 bombs. However, he once again was caught in a bomb blast in 2020, while he was defusing a bomb in Afghanistan. This time it was fatal. Manu continues to enjoy his helping hands.
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(Courtesy: Amruta Hospital website)