• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Doctors attach man's hand to his ankle after it was cut off in an accident

Home> News> World News

Published 15:04 10 Jul 2024 GMT+1

Doctors attach man's hand to his ankle after it was cut off in an accident

Doctors sought to rescue the man's hand after he suffered an industrial accident

Emma Marsden

Emma Marsden

In a medical marvel that captured global attention, doctors in Changsha, China successfully performed a groundbreaking surgery where a man's hand was temporarily grafted to his ankle.

The procedure was necessitated after a tragic accident severed the man's hand and left it at risk of irreparable damage.

The patient, 27-year-old Xiao Wei, was rushed to hospital in the Hunan Province of China after an industrial accident involving heavy machinery resulted in the severing of his right hand.

Doctors faced a daunting challenge as the hand had been detached for several hours, significantly reducing the chances of a successful reattachment directly to the arm.

Advert

A man has had his hand attached to his ankle in China (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
A man has had his hand attached to his ankle in China (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Due to the condition of the severed hand, the decision was made by doctors to temporarily graft it to Xiao Wei's ankle. This approach was aimed at preserving the hand and its tissues while allowing time for Xiao Wei to stabilize and for further surgical planning.

However, doctors were hopeful that he would regain full function of his hand.

"His injury was severe. Besides ripping injuries, his arm was also flattened. We had to clear and treat his injuries before taking on the hand reattachment surgery,” doctors stated, as reported by BBC.

Advert

The procedure, which lasted several hours, involved connecting the hand's arteries, veins, and tendons to those in Xiao Wei's ankle. This intricate surgery was critical in maintaining the hand's viability for future reattachment to its original site on Xiao Wei's arm.

Medical experts emphasized that while such surgeries are rare and technically complex, they are crucial in cases where immediate reattachment is not feasible.

Doctors are confident the surgery will be a success (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
Doctors are confident the surgery will be a success (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The temporary grafting allows the injured tissues to remain alive and functional, thus increasing the chances of a successful long-term recovery.

Advert

Mr Cairian Healy of the Royal College of Surgeons in England told the BBC that although procedures such as these were rare, they were not impossible.

"The Chinese are pretty experienced in microsurgery," he said.

"And the concept of saving a severed part of the body by attaching it to another part of the body to give it a blood supply is well recognized."

The surgeon confirmed it is a complex procedure, saying: "The patient might not be fit enough for the surgery. It can take a skilled surgeon between eight and 15 hours to reattach a hand."

Advert

Xiao Wei remained under close observation in hospital, where doctors monitored the progress of both his hand and his overall condition. The next steps in his treatment were to involve carefully planning the reattachment of the hand to his arm, approximately a month after the initial surgery.

Featured Image Credit: Rex Features

Topics: News, World News

Emma Marsden
Emma Marsden

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • Prime VideoPrime Video
    an hour ago

    ‘Haunting’ Prime Video series with 98% ratings is your perfect weekend binge watch

    'Has me hooked'

    Film & TV
  • Ukraine Armed Forces — 58th Separate Motorized Infantry BrigadeUkraine Armed Forces — 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade
    8 hours ago

    Unbelievable footage shows moment Ukraine blows up two key Russian bridges using their own mines amid WW3 fears

    A Ukrainian brigade confirmed the attack took place on August 23 - days after Trump met with Russian President Putin

    News
  • FREDERIC J. BROWN/GettyFREDERIC J. BROWN/Getty
    9 hours ago

    Family sues Elon Musk’s Tesla after alleging Cybertruck owner’s bones disintegrated in inferno after crash

    Michael Sheehan, 47, became trapped inside his Cybertruck when the battery burst into flames

    News
  • ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/GettyANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Getty
    9 hours ago

    Four bizarre reasons people thought Trump had died as he’s pictured for the first time since rumors broke internet

    The US President was pictured on the South Lawn in the capital on Saturday

    News
  • 'World's most modified man' who had his hand surgically cut in half reveals why he did it
  • Runner who 'attacked' opponent with baton officially charged after claiming it was an accident
  • Newlywed tragically dies on honeymoon in freak accident after stepping into ankle-deep water
  • Caitlyn Jenner breaks silence on manager Sophia Hutchins' death after 29-year-old died in tragic accident