Electrician’s Severed Hand Saved by Timely Microvascular Surgery at AVBRH, Wardha

Wardha, – A 40-year-old electrician, Mr. Santosh Ganpat Rathod, a resident of Arni, Maharashtra, suffered a severe hand injury while cutting a wooden block with an electric saw at his residence around 3:00 AM on August 9. During the accident, the saw blade caused a complete transection of all the tendons, blood vessels, and nerves in the palm of his left hand, endangering the survival of the limb.

Initially treated at a local hospital in Yavatmal, he was referred to Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital (AVBRH), Sawangi, Wardha, where he arrived in the casualty department at approximately 7:40 PM the same day. The Plastic Surgery Department, led by Dr. Firoz Borle and his team, promptly assessed the injury and decided to take the patient for emergency surgery without delay.

In a five-hour-long complex microsurgical procedure that lasted until 4:00 AM, all the severed tendons, arteries, veins, and nerves were meticulously repaired under a high-powered surgical microscope. This timely intervention successfully restored blood flow to the hand and preserved its function.

According to Dr. Borle, without immediate surgery, the patient would have faced a high risk of gangrene, leading to amputation and permanent disability. Thanks to the successful repair, Mr. Rathod is now recovering well. He will require physiotherapy to regain full movement and strength in his hand and is expected to make a complete recovery, enabling him to return to his work as an electrician.

The importance of timely plastic surgery consultation

“In all major hand injuries, it is crucial to consult a plastic surgeon without delay,” Dr. Borle emphasized. “Plastic and reconstructive surgeons are specially trained in microvascular surgery — allowing them to repair critical blood vessels, nerves, and tendons. Prompt surgical intervention often means the difference between saving a limb and permanent loss of function.”

This case stands as a testament to how timely medical care, advanced surgical expertise, and modern microsurgical techniques can restore not just a limb, but also a patient’s livelihood and quality of life.