SGPGI doctors successfully transplant toe to 19-year-old youth's hand

Doctors at SGPGI in Lucknow have successfully transplanted the big toe of a 19-year-old youth's left foot to his right hand through an extremely complex and rare surgery, according to a report by 'Aaj Tak'. This surgery, performed by experts from the institute's plastic surgery department, is being regarded as a medical miracle. Following this successful procedure, the youth's grip and strength in his hand have been restored, while the toes of his foot are also functioning completely normally. Notably, the youth can now move normally without any support and has been discharged from the hospital. Doctors stated that this is the first time such a successful surgery has been performed in the history of SGPGI.

According to plastic surgeon Dr. Rajiv Kumar Bharti, the youth survived a road accident on March 17, 2026, in which his right thumb was severed and both bones of the hand were severely fractured. After the accident, the family sought treatment at another hospital, where doctors closed the wound and joined the broken bones, but the thumb of the hand was not in a condition to become functional again. Doctors clarified that the thumb plays a role of approximately 40 per cent in the total tasks performed by the human hand. The absence of a thumb causes obstacles in daily activities, which can lead to increased mental stress among young people. To resolve this problem, the patient reached SGPGI.

Upon arriving at SGPGI, doctors conducted comprehensive counselling with the patient and his family. Subsequently, the challenging decision was taken to safely reduce the size of the left big toe and transplant it into the right hand. This marathon surgery began on September 30 under general anaesthesia and lasted for nearly 10 hours. During the operation, two separate teams of doctors worked simultaneously. One team prepared the precise space for the thumb in the hand, while the other team, with extreme caution, separated the toe from the foot along with its arteries, blood vessels, muscle tendons, and sensory nerves. The toe was then attached to the remaining bones of the hand, and the microscopic nerves and blood vessels were connected, successfully restoring blood circulation.

SGPGI Director Dr. RK Dhiman congratulated the entire surgical team for this major medical success. He stated that this achievement is a very important step towards establishing a dedicated hand transplant unit in the institute. Dr. Ankur Bhatnagar, Dr. Rajiv Kumar Bharti, and Dr. Nikhilesh Kumar of the plastic surgery department played a key role in making this complex surgery successful. Additionally, resident doctors Dr. Aina, Dr. Surabhi, Dr. Zuhi, Dr. Zilik, Dr. Shatakshi, and Dr. Prajya provided support. From the anaesthesia department, Dr. Ashish Kanoujia, resident Dr. Shikha, Dr. Anjali, and Dr. Harsh, as well as OT staff Sanjeev, Soni, Ritu, Vasant, and Pawan, also made significant contributions.

SGPGI is a renowned medical institution located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, known for various complex surgeries and treatments. It serves as a regionally important hospital where treatment is provided by expert doctors across various departments.