In what sounds almost unbelievable, doctors at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) have performed a rare and life-changing surgery — they rebuilt a young man’s thumb using a toe from his amputated leg.

The 20-year-old from Haryana’s Rewari met with a devastating road accident that left him badly injured. 

He lost his left leg below the knee and his thumb in the crash. His family rushed him to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, carrying the amputated leg carefully in a polythene bag, just as doctors recommend. 

But in the chaos, they couldn’t find his thumb right away. When it was finally brought in, it was too late to reattach.

“The leg was completely crushed and couldn’t be saved,” said doctors from the hospital’s Plastic, Cosmetic and Hand Microsurgery Department. 

“But we knew that if we could restore his thumb, he would be able to regain some independence and function in his hand. That’s when we decided to use a part of his own leg — his toe — to reconstruct the thumb.”

It was a bold decision, but one that gave the young man a new chance at a normal life.

The complex surgery was led by Dr. Mahesh Mangal, Senior Consultant and Head of the Department of Plastic, Cosmetic and Hand Microsurgery, along with his team — Dr. Nikhil Jhunjhunwala (Consultant Hand and Microsurgeon) and DNB residents Dr. Arjun Krishna and Dr. Rishika Bachani.

When the trauma team examined the amputated parts, they realized neither the leg nor the thumb could be reattached because of severe crush injuries. But instead of giving up, the doctors came up with a remarkable plan: they would use tissue from the unsalvageable leg to reconstruct the lost thumb.

“This kind of surgery is extremely delicate,” explained Dr. Mangal. “The thumb is the most important finger of the hand — without it, even simple tasks like holding a glass or buttoning a shirt become difficult. By using the patient’s own toe, we were able to give him back his grip and functionality.”

The surgery took several hours, demanding microscopic precision and teamwork. Today, the young man is recovering well and slowly regaining movement in his reconstructed thumb.

For him and his family, what began as a day of tragedy has turned into a story of extraordinary hope.

“This is the power of modern reconstructive surgery,” said Dr. Mangal. “Even in the face of devastating injuries, medical science can help patients reclaim their lives.”

At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the miracle wasn’t just in the operating room — it was in giving a young man his independence, his confidence, and his ability to hold the world in his hands once again.