Turkish medics replace Albanian woman's lost thumb

An Albanian policewoman who lost her thumb has recovered through a new treatment method developed by Turkish doctors.

Ina Nuka, 26, was brought to Turkey in an air ambulance of the Health Ministry after she was injured during demonstrations in Albania in late November.

She was admitted to the Numune Training and Research Hospital in capital Ankara.

Dr. Ramazan Erkin Unlu, plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon, led the team of doctors who treated her.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Unlu said that the patient had lost her thumb and damaged her finger tips when an explosive hit her hand.

He said that in these cases, the normal procedure was to take the big toe and index toe to form a new finger through microsurgery.

“This is a method applied successfully in our clinic too. We offered different techniques like these to our patient. But the patient said she did not want to lose her toe,” he said, adding that she was sensitive about it and they wanted to help her.

“We’ve developed a very different technique, which hasn’t been found in the literature until now,” Unlu said, adding that they used two different composite flaps at the same time to form the patient's thumb.

Unlu explained that a finger made up of pieces taken from her pelvis and arm replaced her lost thumb.

“[…]We both responded to the patient's wish and didn’t create any deficiencies in the patient's body, with a method that has not been applied before,” Unlu said, and noted that they were going to further develop the method.

Unlu said the patient started to use her hand after her finger tips were also treated.

He added that they have yet to name this new method.