Dr Stéphane Guero, a French surgeon known as the “hand surgery magician”, will offer clinic hours and surgeries to correct hand deformities at FVH from November 21, helping adult and paediatric patients to approach life with more confidence as they look forward to a bright future.

Dr Stéphane skilfully restores hand functions in children

H.T. was incredibly happy to see her five-year-old son use his hands and be able to grasp things normally.

H.T. is one of the few cases of a rare hand deformity called “mirror hand”, a very rare congenital anomaly characterized by symmetric duplication of the upper limb in the midline. Typically, a person is born with a radius and ulna, two long bones that make up the forearm. A mirror hand has eight fingers, no thumb, lacks the radial bone of the forearm, and has up to two ulnae. In the past 200 years, medical research has recorded fewer than 100 cases.

X-ray film of H.T.’s left hand before surgery

Children with mirror hand are unable to hold items and need more help in their daily activities. They’re also often afraid or lack confidence when interacting with adults and other children because of their malformation.

In May 2022, Dr Stéphane Guero performed a successful surgery to correct H.T.’s mirror hand at FV Hospital. Within a few weeks of surgery, after performing functional exercises, H.T.’s hand functioned like a normal hand.

H.T.’s hand after plastic surgery and physical therapy (Photo: provided by the patient’s family)

In another case, a five-year-old girl was born in Hue with only four fingers and no thumb, which meant she was unable to hold anything. When her family heard that Dr Guero was visiting Vietnam, they brought the little girl to Ho Chi Minh City for surgery.

Dr Stéphane Guero examines the hand of a paediatric patient

After three surgeries, the child was able to hold with her left hand and was continuing physical therapy to develop full use of her new digits. The family shared that this was the miracle that they had always hoped for.

“Seeing their kids hold things is normal for many people, but for parents with children with hand deformities, it’s a source of indescribable happiness,” says the child’s mother.

In many cases of complicated deformities, Dr Guero uses the toe bone to replace a finger with a bone deformity. Hand surgery to correct malformations is not only a cosmetic and functional solution, but an opportunity to help remove psychological obstacles in a child’s day to day life. Gaining the ability to use their hands fully gives children the confidence they need to enjoy a bright future

Returning to Vietnam to heal hands

Dr Stéphane Guero is one of the few experts in the world who can successfully correct difficult hand deformities, such as finger reconstruction to restore grasp function, finger separation, trigger finger surgery, brachial plexus surgery, and bone grafting for congenital finger amputations.

In hand reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation, especially when creating a thumb, selecting a new thumb, and correctly identifying the blood vessels, nerves, and musculoskeletal systems for each finger are important. Doctors need to carefully calculate the movement of the thumb to place the new digit in the optimal position, and determine its length to ensure accurate hand aesthetics and function after surgery.

Dr Stéphane Guero operates at FV Hospital

Dr Guero, a founding member of the Hand Surgery Institute of France, has more than 30 years of hand microsurgery experience and has corrected hand deformities in hundreds of Vietnamese children during his visits to FV Hospital, helping these young patients to be more confident as they learn and grow.

Many people in Vietnam have to live with deformities for a long time because they don’t have access to the necessary treatment. Even those in a good financial situation and who are willing to spend a lot of money abroad for treatment find it difficult to find and secure care with experts like Dr Stéphane Guero who are skilled in hand and foot surgery.

An emotional mother sheds tears after Dr Guero performs a successful operation for her daughter in May 2022

On November 21, Dr Guero will return to FV Hospital to offer treatment for paediatric patients funded by the Children of Vietnam charitable fund. Dr Guero has chosen FV as the only place in Vietnam he offers surgeries as the Hospital provides modern equipment, an international-standard operating room and a team of experienced supporting doctors.

When opting to undergo treatment in Vietnam, patients and their families significantly reduce the burden of cost compared to going abroad for treatment.

“Despite my busy schedule, I always make time to come to Vietnam because so many children here need me. The opportunity to provide surgery to correct hand malformations and seeing little hands grasping and holding brings me great happiness,” says Dr Guero.

Please call (028) 54 11 33 33 to schedule an appointment with Dr Stéphane Guero.