RAWALPINDI: Doctors at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi have successfully reattached the completely severed hand of a five-year-old boy from Jhelum in a complex replantation surgery.

The child was brought to the hospital on August 28 in critical condition after his hand was completely severed from his body in an axe attack.

Recognising the urgency of the case, a team of specialists from the hospital’s Plastic Surgery Department, led by Dr Tayyab and Dr Ambreen, performed emergency replantation surgery.

The doctors carried out a complex microvascular procedure to reconnect the severed hand to the child’s body.

During the lengthy operation, the surgical team repaired the blood vessels, veins and other vital structures using specialised microsurgical techniques.

The procedure successfully restored blood circulation to the reattached hand, marking a significant surgical achievement given the child’s young age and the complexity of the injury.

Speaking to HUM News, doctors said hand replantation in a young child was an extremely complex and time-consuming procedure.

They said the chances of successful reattachment depend heavily on how quickly the patient reaches hospital, proper preservation of the severed limb and the immediate availability of a specialised microsurgical team.

The doctors also advised the public on the appropriate first aid response if a body part is severed in an accident.

They said the amputated part should not be placed directly on ice because direct contact with ice can damage the tissue.

Instead, the severed part should be wrapped or placed in a clean plastic bag, which should then be placed in a separate container containing ice.

The injured person should then be taken immediately to a medical facility equipped to perform microsurgery, they advised.

Timely medical intervention and the expertise of the Holy Family Hospital surgical team ultimately enabled the five-year-old boy’s severed hand to be successfully reattached.