British man gets a hand tansplant!
This is simply incredible. First time it's been done in Britain!!
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking21.html
If you know anything about surgery or organ tranplantation, you'll realise how bloody difficult this is.
It's one thing to reconnect the arteries and vein, and also the tendons and ligaments. It's quite another thing to reconnet nerves. And a whole different ball game to actually get the nerves to work.
4 days after the procedure, Mark Cahill was already able to wiggle his fingers! the brain actually has to relearn that the hand is back! So this is really amazing!
Apparently it's been done in the U.S. and in France, but it's the first successful one in the U.K. It gives hope to those who've lost limbs!
"A 51-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to have a hand transplant.
Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) said Mark Cahill underwent the complex, eight-hour procedure on December 27th when a donor hand became available.
They said a new technique was used which involved Mr Cahill, from Greetland, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, having his non-functioning right hand removed during the same operation as the donor hand was transplanted.
This procedure allowed very accurate restoration of nerve structures and is believed to be the first time this approach has been used, surgeons said.
The former pub landlord said the move had changed his life.“When I look at it and move it, it just feels like my hand,” the BBC reported Mr Cahill as saying"
"Don't be reckless with other people’s hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours"
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