First Double Hand Transplant Surgery In UK

The UK's first double hand transplant operation was done at Leeds General Infirmary and the patient says his new hands look "tremendous".

Chris King, from Doncaster, lost both his hands, apart from the thumbs, in an accident involving a metal pressing machine at work three years ago.

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‘The hand transplant has been done above the wrist, which has been within the substance of the hand, which makes it much more difficult and more complex.’

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He received two new hands from a donor. Mr King, who is 57, is the second person to have a hand transplant at Leeds, and the first to have both hands replaced.

After his accident, Mr King was introduced by Prof Kay to Mark Cahill - the first person to have a hand transplant in the UK, in 2012. Prof Simon Kay led the operation at the UK's centre for hand transplants.

King said the operation, which took place in the past few days, appeared to have been a complete success.

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Prof Kay, a consultant plastic surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary, said it was a unique procedure: "It's the first time as far as I'm aware that a hand transplant has been done which hasn't been above the wrist, which has been within the substance of the hand, which makes it much more difficult and more complex." And he said there was more to think about when transplanting hands rather than internal organs.

"Nobody cares what their kidney looks like as long as it works. But not only do we have to match the hands immunologically, in the same way that we have to match kidneys and livers, they also have to look appropriate because the hands are on view the whole time."

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Prof Kay also said there could be a psychological impact on the patient of receiving hands from a donor. Families also found it harder to contemplate donating the hands of a loved-one, he said.

Now, King is itching to ride properly and just start doing simple things, such as gardening and using his ride-on mower.

Source-Medindia