Sudanese Soldier Regains Hand Function After Rare Surgery at Max Hospital

New Delhi: In a powerful story of resilience, hope, and advanced medical care, doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dwarka, helped a Sudanese soldier regain the use of his right hand through a rare and complex toe-to-thumb reconstruction surgery.

For 34-year-old Abdalla Alkhader, life changed abruptly during the conflict in Sudan when a gunshot injury cost him his thumb, index finger, and middle finger.

With only his ring and little finger remaining, even simple actions—holding a cup, buttoning a shirt, lifting objects, or feeding himself, became daily challenges. As a soldier recovering from war and a father trying to rebuild his life, the loss deeply affected his independence and confidence.

Determined to find a solution and regain his hand function, Abdalla travelled to India and met Dr. Neeraj Godara, Consultant – Hand, Wrist & Reconstructive Microsurgeon, at Max Hospital, Dwarka. After evaluation, Dr. Godara recommended a free microvascular toe-to-thumb transfer, a rare reconstructive surgery that creates a new, functional thumb using a toe.

Abdalla's case, however, was uniquely challenging. Because he had lost multiple fingers and developed stiffness from his earlier injury, the surgical team had to rebuild not just the thumb, but also the crucial pathways of tendons and nerves needed for coordinated hand movement.

A team led by Dr. Godara performed the intricate surgery, removing the second toe from Abdalla’s left foot and transplanting it to his right hand. Under a microscope, surgeons reconnected tiny blood vessels and nerves—some thinner than a hair—so the transplanted toe could survive, move naturally, and eventually function as a thumb.

Commenting on the case, Dr. Godara said, “What made this case particularly difficult was the condition of his hand when he arrived. Because of the gunshot injury, he essentially had what we call a ‘metacarpal hand,’ meaning most of the functional part of the hand was missing except the last two fingers.

We had to reconstruct not only the thumb but also rebuild the movement pathways so the hand could work as a unit again. Toe-to-thumb transfer is a precise microsurgical procedure- even a fraction of a millimetre matters. The success of this surgery has allowed him to regain meaningful, everyday use of his hand.”

For Abdalla, the surgery is far more than a medical achievement. It has restored his ability to perform daily tasks, given him back his independence, and helped him return to life with dignity.

With this reconstruction, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dwarka, reinforces its expertise in advanced reconstructive microsurgery and its commitment to helping patients from India and around the world regain function, confidence, and quality of life.