Organ transplant
Hand transplant
An operation that attaches one or both hands from a deceased donor to a person who has lost theirs, joining bone, blood vessels, tendons, nerves and skin.
Pending doctor check
All doctors
Dr Nilesh G. Satbhai
Director, Plastic, Reconstructive Microsurgery and Hand Transplantation
Profile
A hand and reconstructive microsurgeon who led the hand transplant programme at Gleneagles Hospital, Mumbai. He has performed more than 24 hand transplants in 13 patients, including India's first unilateral hand transplant, Asia's first partial hand transplant and Asia's first bilateral arm transplant at shoulder level. In January 2026 he led the first bilateral hand transplant at Nanavati Max.
- Speciality
- Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
- Experience
- 19 years
- Areas of expertise
- Hand transplantation
- Hand surgery
- Reconstructive microsurgery
- Brachial plexus and nerve surgery
- Restoring arm and hand function
- Saving and rebuilding injured legs
- Plastic surgery for children and birth defects
- Lymphatic microsurgery
- Qualifications and training
- MBBS, Dr Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Nashik (2000)
- MS (General Surgery), Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai (2007)
- MCh (Plastic Surgery), Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai (2010)
- Fellowships in hand and reconstructive microsurgery in India, Japan and Taiwan (2012 to 2014)
- Fellowships at Mayo Clinic and Penn Medicine, USA (2022)
Procedures
Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
Hand surgery and reconstruction
Surgery to repair injured or damaged hands and restore their use, from cut tendons and nerves to reattaching fingers.
Pending doctor check
Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
Brachial plexus and nerve surgery
Surgery to repair the nerves from the neck to the arm, after injury or at birth, to bring back movement to the shoulder, arm and hand.
Pending doctor check
Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
Reconstructive microsurgery
Rebuilding parts of the body after injury or cancer surgery by moving tissue, with its blood supply, from elsewhere in the body.
Pending doctor check
Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
Lymphoedema surgery (lymphatic microsurgery)
Microsurgery that helps fluid drain from a swollen arm or leg, often after cancer treatment.
Pending doctor check
Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
Plastic surgery for children and birth differences
Surgery for children born with differences such as cleft lip and palate, hand differences and birthmarks, or with scars from injuries and burns.
Pending doctor check
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