Medical science is amazing; it explores the human body and anatomy in ways to cure the body of any illnesses. With the advent of modern technology and advancements in the field of science, we have seen humanity take long strides towards eradicating diseases and making the human body immune to many infections. Apart from this, complex surgeries and medical procedures have been made easy with cutting-edge technology.
In a first for India, a patient who had lost both his arms in a train accident has received a bilateral hand transplant.Â
The man behind this complex surgery is Dr Mahesh Mangal, the chairman of the Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. He led a team of doctors in the surgery, which lasted over 12 hours and set a record for the first bilateral hand transplant surgery in India.
Mahesh Mangal: Changing Lives With a Scalpel
Dr Mahesh Mangal is the chairman of the Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. He has over 35 years of experience in plastic surgery, and his years of hard work and dedication have earned the department a reputation as one of the centres of excellence in the country for limb reimplantations.
He has kept an interest in Hand and Microsurgery, Congenital deformity correction (cleft lip & palate, syndactyly), and Cosmetic Surgery.Â
Dr Mahesh has been awarded membership in various reputed organisations, including the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India (APSI), the Indian Society for Surgery of the Hand (ISSH), and the Delhi Association of Plastic Surgeons. He is the mentor and founding president of the Breast Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons Association (BRASA). He has published many papers in reputed journals, too, and has wide experience of working as a plastic and cosmetic surgeon.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SRGH) is a highly advanced tertiary care Centre with state-of-the-art operation theatres and a high level of patient care at every step. It is a for-profit private hospital with a long history. SRGH was founded in 1921 but had to shift to New Delhi post-partition.
The hospital also provides training to young medical professionals under the Diplomate National Board (DNB) program and has the distinction of having the first bone bank in India.
Known as one of the best hospitals in the national capital, SGRH has become a pioneer in carrying out hand transplant services in India.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is the first hospital in North India to receive permission to perform a hand transplant in February 2023.
Raj Kumar, the man who had lost his hands in an accident in 2020, received the hand implants from a donor who had pledged to donate organs after her death. The donor was identified as Meena Mehta, who had been declared brain dead. She has changed three lives by donating her cornea, liver and hands.
Growing technological prowess has led humans to achieve great feats in medical science, such as this one, wherein a man received hands from a woman.
This is a terrific story of resilience, courage, and India’s growing prowess in every arena. Such achievements add to the country’s pride and capabilities.
It would be precise to call the SGRH and Dr. Mangal the pioneers and leaders in limb implantation in India.
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