Patient Talha Umar Shaikh's left hand was severely deformed and scarred after a secondary infection spread following a snake bite
A team of doctors at Parel's Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children (BJWHC) performed a complex surgery to successfully repair and restore the hand function of an 8-year-old boy. Patient Talha Umar Shaikh's left hand was severely deformed and scarred after a secondary infection spread following a snake bite.
In the month of June, Talha was a bitten by a snake in his native Nanded and had received immediate treatment from a local doctor. He was given anti-snake venom injection. However, after a few days it was noticed that his left hand was swelling up due to cellulitis and that the infection was spreading rapidly. The local doctors suggested that amputation was the only option, following which Talha was brought to a government hospital in Mumbai.
Though his hand was saved, he developed a severe contracture and deformity of the left wrist and hand since he wasn't provided primary wound cover. His parents were finally asked to take him to BJWHC early in October, and the surgery was conducted on October 25.
"When the patient came to me, he was unable to perform any concrete activity with his deformed left hand. The severe skin and muscle necrosis on the dorsal aspect of the left hand and forearm had resulted in gross functional and cosmetic deformity. We planned a microvascular surgery, though it is complex and relatively uncommon to be performed on children," said Dr Nilesh Satbhai, Plastic, Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgeon, Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children
"The scarring was severe and extensive, which made the surgery even more complicated. Our objective was to achieve full movement of the wrist and hand. A flap consisting of skin and soft tissue from the left thigh was harvested. The blood vessels of the flap were connected to the blood vessels in the forearm by microvascular technique using a microscope, to re-establish the blood supply to the flap. The musculotoxic venom of the snake had also caused some scarring of tissues and blood vessels. Hence the technical challenge and risk involved in this case was higher than usual," added Dr Satbhai.
Meanwhile, Talha's father Mahetab Shaikh was relieved and expressed his gratitude towards the hospital staff for saving his son's hand. "When we brought him here, his left hand was completely deformed, he could not hold any object or make a fist. But now the wounds have healed and physiotherapy is gradually helping him move it. We have been asked to stay for a week more before heading home," said Shaikh.
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 "Talha Umar Shaikh")
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