Monika More gets discharged after successful bilateral hand transplant, first one in Western India

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Mumbai: Mumbai’s first-hand transplant recipient, Monica More, (24) from Mumbai, has been discharged from Global Hospital on Saturday after the successful bilateral hand transplant performed on her. On August 28, successful transplants of both hands of Monica were performed. This is the first-hand transplant surgery in Mumbai and western India.

The entire cost of Monika’s surgery has come to Rs 36 lakh and many donors have come forward to help Monika. After being discharged, she has been taught to do some physical exercise at home. Moreover, her mother has been trained in this regard. After the transplant, Monika’s condition improved and she was kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a week under observation. She was then placed in a special room.

Special care to be taken to prevent infection

Family of Monika More was not allowed to visit her because of the possibility of infection due to hand transplant surgery. In such a situation, the family was in touch with her through phone and video calls. At home also she has to be in isolation for a few months to prevent infection. Also, she has been prohibited to go out during any social gathering or crowded with a view of safety measures during Corona.

Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgeon at Global Hospital, Mumbai, Dr. Nilesh Satbhai said, “Monika’s hand transplants have been stalled for the past several years due to unavailability of hands. But when perfect pair of hands was found, she underwent immediate surgery. Hand transplantation is a very complicated surgery. After the surgery, Monika was placed in a separate room in the transplant intensive care unit. Also, a separate special nurse was appointed to take care of her. Both hands were regularly bandaged. On the third day of the patient’s transplant, she began to walk and sit with the support of her shoulder. In addition, she was given physiotherapy twice a day. The bones of the hands have been plastered to support them.”

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Further, he said in a few weeks, she will be asked to move her elbow. Her hands and fingers are expected to start moving after 3-4 months. The muscle tissue and bones of her arm will heal by then. As of now she has been helped for her daily movements but with regular exercise her hand movements and physiotherapy, she will soon become more self-reliant. Recovery of her hands movement as before will take about one to one and a half years. Now it’s been four weeks, her transplant was performed and Monika’s health condition has improved and now she is just given pills.  The patient is recovering very well and has responded very well to treatment. With this in mind, it has been decided to leave Monika at home now. However, after going home, she needs to get exercise and physiotherapy every day.”

Monika was discharged from Global Hospital in Mumbai on Saturday after 4 weeks. She underwent a 16-hour successful transplant performed on her both hands on August 28 and is recovering well. After 6 years, finally Monika will again start to live her life on her own.

She lost both her hands in an accident at Ghatkopar railway station in 2014 as she was trying to board a suburban local train. She got the hands from a brain dead donor in Chennai.

Meanwhile, Monika is charmed to have received her hand and its successful transplant. She has thanked the doctors who operated and treated her.

“It’s like a dream for me that after losing both my hands in the accident, my family and I lost all hopes. It’s like getting a new life and all the credit goes to Kirit Somaiya sir and all the doctors who helped in such conditions. Initially hands were not available for transplant but as soon as it was, Doctor Nilesh Satbhai took the decision and did this unbelievable thing,” said Monika More.

Further she said,” It will take one and half years for full movements of my hands and after then I will earn for my family and support them as they have faced many difficulties for me.”