Daijiworld Media Network–Udupi (ANK)

Udupi, Oct 1: Kochi based Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences has successfully performed twin-hand transplant from a brain-dead youth to a-19-year old girl Shreya, an engineering student at Manipal who had lost both her hands in a tragic accident.

This was a proud moment for Asians as this was the first such operation conducted in Asia where twin hands were transplanted from a boy to a girl. The 13-hour long operation was led by Dr Subramanya Iyer head of plastic and re-constructive surgery along with 20 surgeons.

The 19-year old Shreya, daughter of Fakhira Gowda from Tata Motors Pune and Suma Nuggihalli, is a chemical engineering student of Manipal Institute of Technology. Shreya met with an accident while she was travelling to Manipal from Pune where her both hands were crushed after they came under bus wheels.

The twin-hand was transplanted from 20 year old Sachin, a final year B.Com student in Rajagiri College at Ernakulum. Sachin met with an accident and failed to respond to the treatment and was announced brain dead. Sachin's parents decided to donate both his hands and it was successfully transplanted on Shreya.

Doctors said that after the transplant Shreya is slowly recovering and her fingers, wrist and shoulders have started to function. During the next one and half years there will be progress in functioning of hands up to 85%.

Shreya was happy about this transplant and said that she is confident of having a normal life by next year.