Baran Tanzi is 13 years old and was working as an apprentice in a butcher shop in Istanbul when, on April 19, 2026, he suffered a serious accident with a meat grinder.
All five fingers on his right hand were affected, and his thumb could not be reconstructed using the original tissue. After several months of recovery, doctors found an unusual alternative: using one of the toes on his own foot.
On October 6, 2026, a medical team performed an operation that lasted about 10 hours, transferring the second toe of his left foot to his hand to reconstruct his thumb using microsurgery.
The procedure was successful, and Baran continues with physical therapy. Doctors expect him to be able to use his hand again in approximately three to four months.