25-Year-Old Met with Major Road Accident; Global Hospital Saves his Hand Crushed Under Truck
A truck hit Pratik Joshi’s bike and ran over his left forearm and hand, Says Doctors.
“Global Hospital Doctors performed 16 surgeries to salvage my hand” adds Pratik Joshi
Mumbai: Team lead by Dr. Nilesh G. Satbhai, Consultant Plastic, Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgeon at Global Hospital, Parel successfully performed complex and complicated hand salvage surgery on 25-year-old Mr. Pratik Joshi, who met with a road accident. Truck hit and rushed over his hand. He suffered from a severe and extensive crush and degloving injury and underwent 16 surgeries in order to salvage his hand. Prompt treatment, effective and aggressive wound management at Global Hospital gave him a new lease of life.
Pratik Joshi a resident of Ghatkopar was heading home from work on his bike. A full speed truck hit him from behind and ran over his left forearm and hand near Wadala truck terminus. Immediately after the accident, people took him to nearby hospital. Looking at bad condition of his hand, doctor on call at the hospital suggested that amputation will be the only option for saving his life. When the family reached it was shocking for them as they had no hope of saving his limb, hence they thought of taking a chance and took him to emergency department of Global Hospital, Parel.
At Global Hospital, he was immediately taken to the operating room for cleaning of the wound and resuscitation. Few investigations and x rays were performed to assess all the injuries. Dr. Nilesh G. Satbhai at Global Hospital explained the gravity of the injury and discussed the possibilities of saving the limb and the surgical efforts needed.
Talking about the accident Dr. Satbhai said, “Mr. Pratik was brought in emergency on 1st April 2019. He had a circumferential crush and degloving injury over the left elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. His thumb and index finger were badly shattered and not salvageable. There was a complete loss of skin and all muscles over the forearm. Furthermore, he also had multiple fractures and dislocations of the wrist and hand.” Moreover, all the wounds were severely contaminated due to dirt and mud from the road/gutter.
“Overall, the patient had to undergo 16 surgeries over a span of 6 weeks. He underwent surgeries like multiple wound debridements (which involves the removal of necrotic tissue to facilitate wound healing), wrist and finger fracture fixation with plates and wires. We also performed microvascular free tissue transfer (Flap cover). Full-thickness skin and fat was taken from the thigh and abdomen for replacement and restoration of the lost skin and soft tissue. As the wounds were too extensive, skin grafting was performed for residual wound cover, after negative pressure wound therapy,” adds Dr Satbhai.
Dr Satbhai further added, “This was a complex injury. Aggressive wound management helped to keep infections at bay, in spite of the wound being grossly contaminated with road dirt. Prompt emergency care – early resuscitation and anaesthesia were crucial for success. Human hand is unique and irreplaceable. Every effort should be made to salvage a hand, at any and every cost. In case of hand amputation at or above wrist level, Hand transplantation is the only reliable solution for functional rehabilitation, and Global Hospital has a Hand Transplant facility.”
“Pratik was discharged on May 30th, and has resumed to his daily routine now. He has joined his office. All the wounds have healed and are improving. He will need regular physiotherapy before he undergoes further surgeries to improve his hand function. He will be undergoing a thumb reconstruction surgery, and surgery for functional restoration of the residual 3 fingers,” says Dr Satbhai.
Patient Pratik Joshi said, “After I met with an accident, I was disheartened, and thought that I will never be able to pursue my passion of playing cricket again. I had lost all the hopes. But there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. I am thankful to Global Hospital and all the doctors for their immediate, prompt, aggressive, and effective management. I have already resumed my work and am looking forward to reliving my passion for the sport.”
