Surgeons say it was a miracle that they managed to reattach the hand of a surfer who was mauled by a shark at Sydney's Bondi Beach.

Thirty-three-year-old Glenn Orgias was attacked by a great white shark while surfing at dusk almost two weeks ago.

He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with his hand hanging by a three centimetre piece of skin.

Plastic surgeon Dr Kevin Ho says doctors never expected that they would be able to reattach the hand.

"However in the Bondi surfer's case, given his general health and the speed of which he was rushed into the operating theatre, and also the extent of his injuries, made it a possibility that we could reattach the hand," he said.

Dr Ho says leeches were used as part of the effort to restore blood flow to the hand, and he is hopeful that Mr Orgias will regain function in it.

"I thought the hopes for the hand were close to zero, but I have hope in time that Glenn will have a working hand," he said.

"It certainly won't be like our own hand but it'd be much much better than a prosthesis.

"We're far from out of the woods but I think for him to make it to this stage is a minor miracle and a reflection of how healthy and physically well he is."

Thank you

Mr Orgias released a statement today in which he thanked his rescuers and medical staff.

"A young French surfer applied a tourniquet that, I believe, saved my life," he said.

"Many others gathered to help me. I would like to thank all of these people for their bravery and compassion," he continued.

"At the present time, it is not known what will happen to my hand. I have a long fight ahead, but could not be working with better people than Dr Kevin Ho and his team."

Mr Orgias also thanked his family for their support, and asked for privacy during his recovery.

Centimetre from death

St Vincent's surgeons have been kept busy by shark attacks in Sydney waters this February, with Navy diver Paul de Gelder also being taken there after being attacked by a bull shark during a naval exercise at Garden Island.

Doctors have revealed that Mr de Gelder was only a centimetre away from death, because the shark's teeth narrowly missed a vital artery in his leg.

Mr de Gelder lost the leg, as well as his hand, in the attack, but the hospital's head of trauma, Dr Tony Brags, says he has been a remarkably positive patient, and is a tribute to his profession.

"I've seen other defence patients, but I've never seen a defence patient with so much motivation, and so much strength, and he has had a lot of training through many, many years in the defence force," he said.

"It's just amazing, it makes me so proud that we have Australians like this in the country."