Mumbai doctors have performed a rare and clinically significant bilateral hand transplant. It was done using hands received through cadaveric donation, after the family of a 50-year-old woman consented to donate her organs following her death.
The transplant restored functional hand use to an 18-year-old male recipient. Along with her hands, the donor’s lungs, liver, and corneas were also donated, enabling multiple transplants across hospitals in Mumbai and Surat.
The recipient, 18-year-old Priyank Aghera, the son of a farmer from Rajkot in Gujarat, had lost both hands in a tragic farm accident in January 2024 while assisting his father during cotton harvesting. A branch became lodged in a tractor blade and, when the blades restarted, he sustained severe crush injuries that were beyond salvage, leading to amputation of both hands.
As an aspiring electrical engineering student, the loss abruptly altered his education, independence, and daily life.
Since bilateral hand transplantation depends on the consent of a suitable deceased donor, Priyank remained on the transplant waitlist for 13 long months. The procedure finally became possible when the family of a 50-year-old woman from Surat, Gujarat, made the courageous decision to consent to cadaveric organ donation following her death.
Given the complexity of bilateral hand transplantation and the need for specialised surgical expertise, the transplant was led by Dr Nilesh Satbhai, director – Plastic, Reconstructive Microsurgery & Hand Transplantation at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital in Vile Parle. The team has performed 26 hand transplants across 14 patients till date.
The 13-hour bilateral transplant was carried out on January 9–10, following rapid coordination between transplant teams and civic authorities in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The donor`s hands were retrieved in Surat and brought to the operating theatre in Mumbai within just over two hours. The recipient was taken into surgery at 10:30 pm on January 9, the procedure continued overnight, and the transplant was completed successfully. The patient is currently under close monitoring with a structured plan for recovery, wound care and rehabilitation.
Dr Satbhai explains, “While awareness around organ donation for organs such as the liver, kidneys and heart has grown, hand donation remains rare, as hands are visible external organs and families may hesitate during bereavement. This transplant highlights how timely cadaveric donation can make such complex procedures possible. Hand transplantation can deliver outcomes that prosthetics often cannot, including sensation and coordinated movement, enabling young patients to return to education, work and self-care. For the patient, the procedure goes beyond a surgical milestone; it restores dignity, independence and the possibility of a future. We are deeply grateful to the donor family for their courage and generosity during an unimaginably difficult time, as their decision enabled not just one transplant, but multiple lives to be impacted.”
Priyank shared, “After the accident, the doctors in Gujarat who amputated my hands told us there is still hope and advised us to meet Dr Satbhai. He was extremely compassionate and explained the procedure, risks and recovery in detail. I’ve waited more than 13 months for this day, and it still feels unreal. I know the journey ahead will be tough, but I’m hopeful that I will regain my independence and the courage to think about my future again.”
Priyank’s father Dinesh Aghera, said, “We explored options in different cities, but Dr Satbhai had performed the maximum successful surgeries. Priyank showed great courage, even losing 20–30 kg over the year to be fit for surgery. We cannot thank the donor family enough for offering our son a chance to return to his studies, stand on his own feet again, and build a bright future.”
Male teen, who lost his hands in tragic farm accident, gets new lease of life
