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Doctors Regrow Man's Hand After Attaching It To His Groin

Doctors Regrow Man's Hand After Attaching It To His Groin

Carpenter Anthony Lelliott was using an electric saw when he nearly amputated his hand in two places.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

British doctors have pulled off an incredible feat after a man came into hospital with a freakish hand injury.

Carpenter Anthony Lelliott was cutting floorboards with an electric saw when the injury happened, effectively cutting his hand in two places.

Surgeons were tasked with trying to piece his left hand back together, however because the 46-year-old suffered a near double-amputation, they had to work delicately.

SWNS

Consultant plastic surgeon Roger Adlard said: "When we took him to theatre I realised it was much worse than I'd first thought. It had it been cut off almost completely in two places - at the base of his palm and again just below the fingers - resulting in a double-level amputation.

"Time was also against us; his detached fingers were getting warm and left too long without blood they would rapidly decompose and be impossible to re-attach.

"I'd say it's probably the most complex amputation I've had to deal with.

"There are many surgeons who, once they'd seen that level of injury, would think it was unsalvageable."

Anthony underwent surgery for 17 hours, where doctors were able to eventually get his hand in some working order.

SWNS

That was thanks to nerve and vein grafts from his forearm and foot respectively and they also made the tough call to sacrifice the middle finger to help fix other parts of his hand.

When everything was finished, doctors realised there still wasn't enough skin to cover his palm, so they came up with a rather interesting way to bridge the gap.

They cut a section of skin from his groin and sewed his hand into the open patch and left it there for two weeks.

Incredibly, it created the perfect environment for Anthony's hand to regrow the skin.

SWNS

"Eventually the skin from his groin grew new roots to where it had been transferred to his hand and we were able to cut his hand free," surgeon Adlard said.

Anthony has already regained some movement in his hand and has regular sessions the hospital's hand therapy team.

He said: "The care I've received has been fantastic and I've got so much gratitude for everyone; from the paramedics who were first on the scene to the staff working in the intensive care unit and on Vernon Ward at St George's.

"Words cannot describe it because I was expecting to wake up without a hand. It's just trying to get it to work now. It's unbelievable really, I'm so grateful."

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

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