The world's first complete double arm transplant recipient, Karl Merk, is doing well after surgery.
"It was really overwhelming when I saw that I had arms again," said the 54-year-old, who wore a sleeveless black shirt showing clearly where his new arms had been grafted.
"These are my arms, and I'm not giving them away again," he told reporters at the Munich University Clinic where he remains nearly three months after the 15-hour operation.
It took a team of 40 surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other support staff to perform the 15-hour operation on July 25-26. Merk lost his arms just below the shoulder in a combine harvester accident six years ago.
Doctors say there is an indication that nerves are growing back but that it could take up to two years for him to relearn how to use his hands.
Amazing what doctors are able to do now. You can read the whole article here and here.
1 comments:
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