Graft surgery of Lakhimpur stalking attack survivor fails

LUCKNOW: The Lakhimpur Kheri girl whose hand was chopped by a stalker has been left disabled for life. The surgery by plastic surgeons at King George's Medical University to rejoin her slashed hand at the wrist has failed.
Doctors removed the graft late on Monday evening and will now undertake another procedure to finally close the wound so that it can be prepared for a prosthesis. On August 23, the 12-yearold girl was attacked by a stalker with a sword while she was on way to a relative's place.The youth, who is now in jail, also left her right palm almost amputated due to three deep cuts. He also hit her on the head, leaving laceration wounds. 10-hour surgery , which A began around 11pm the same night, was performed to save the life of the girl who took care of her blind mother and ailing father. Even as the stalker was arrested, the girl's family said no punishment could compensate for their daughter's misery .
Prof Brajesh Mishra, who led the team of surgeons, said, “We became hopeful when everything appeared under control for the first 48 hours. The patient was shifted to an isolation ward.“
However, things changed after Saturday morning.
“We saw that blood circulation from the limb to the graft had reduced so we immediately took her for another surgery wherein the artery connecting the two portions was replaced,“ he said, adding that the process was repeated on Friday , September 1.
“By Sunday evening, the graft was finally rejected. Her hand turned dark blue. We also realised that she was not ready for a surgery as her haemoglobin had reduced to 6 units against the standard 12,“ said Dr Mishra, whose team was extremely disappointed with the failure of the surgery.
On Monday morning, the family was apprised.
“We could not believe that all efforts and prayers had gone in vain,“ said the girl's elder brother, who left his job as a waiter in Rajasthan to attend to his sister.
“When the family understood that they had to choose between the girl's life and her limb, her brother said his sister's life was more precious,“ recalled Prof AK Singh, head of plastic surgery department.