Pilot who had severed arm flies again

After a year away due to a serious accident, pilot Osmar Tomé, 55 years old, made his first flight last Wednesday (15/2).

In February last year, he had his left forearm severed by the propeller of an agricultural plane and, to regain movement, he underwent a delicate surgery at Hospital Sírio Libanês in Brasília.

“It was a great emotion to be able to do what I love most. I was a little stressed and I really missed flying”, says Tomé, who took the tour accompanied by a friend, who is also a pilot.

The accident occurred in the city of Luís Eduardo Magalhães, in Bahia. When trying to start an agricultural plane, Tomé noticed that the propeller was not moving. As he tried to reposition it, it spun again, severing his left forearm at the elbow and tearing off the thumb and index finger of his right hand.

Surgery

The limb reimplantation surgery lasted eight hours and was considered a success. Responsible for the medical procedure, orthopedist Bruno Veronesi attributes the result to the patient’s good health conditions, the speed of transport to Brasília and the correct preservation of the forearm.

“Contrary to what many people think, you cannot put the amputated limb on ice. The right way is to insert it in a container with saline solution – a bag, for example – and then, this package must be kept in contact with ice”, explained Veronesi.

During 2022, Osmar underwent two other surgeries and saw a physical therapist to stimulate the limb. Wednesday’s flight was just a jaunt, but he wants to do it again soon.

Tomé with his other daughter during the agricultural flight

In the image, Osmar with one of his daughters during the first flight after surgeryPersonal archive

Colored photograph of the pilot Osmar with his daughter - Metrópoles

Osmar with his youngest daughter

For him, it was a very good feeling to be able to go back to doing what he loves most.Personal archive

color photograph of a middle-aged man in a hospital hallway. He had his left forearm ripped off by a plane propeller.

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Osmar Tomé, 55, has been a pilot for over 30 years. For him, flying has always been a passion.Rafaela Felicciano/Metropolises

color photograph of a doctor in a hospital hallway. He replanted a man's forearm that was ripped off by a plane's propeller

airline-pilot-has-arm-replanted (6)

Orthopedist Bruno Veronesi, specialist in microsurgery, has already participated in complex reimplantations in São Paulo. In Brasilia, the case is unprecedentedRafaela Felicciano/Metropolises