Professor\'s hand likely to regain sensation

KOCHI: Thodupuzha Newman College Professor T.J. Joseph, who was attacked a fortnight ago, may be able to use his severed hand again. �We expect Prof. Josephs hand to function reasonably well in a few months, R. Jayakumar, micro-vascular surgeon who stitched the hand back in a 16-hour surgery at Specialists Hospital here, told The Hindu.

He said the complicated surgery was successfully completed. The professor would regain sensation in his hand in three months. He would have to stay at the hospital for two more weeks for more surgeries on the other wounded hand and leg.

Dr. Jayakumar said the right hand of Prof. Joseph had been chopped off at the wrist. He had lost a lot of blood and it took 12 bottles of blood to resuscitate him. A lot of tissues were lost in front of his forearm and had to be replaced with tissues from his thigh. The entire �re-plantation surgery was conducted under the microscope. The operation took a long time as the severed blood vessels and nerves had to be reconnected. Prof. Joseph has deep wounds on his leg and the left hand and would need more surgeries which would be done next week. Salome Joseph, the professors wife, told The Hindu that the State government had given the family Rs.4 lakh towards meeting the medical expenses. The money came from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund.