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Pioneering hand transplant surgery takes place in Poland

Xinhua, December 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

A man born without a hand has undergone a pioneer transplant surgery in Wroclaw, western Poland, Polish media reported on Thursday.

The surgeons claim it is world's first transplant surgery of this kind.

The surgery was headed by Adam Domanasiewicz from the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw.

Domanasiewicz said it was the first graft in the world of an upper limb onto an adult with such a congenital defect.

"This is an important breakthrough in neurophysiology and the practice of transplants because up to now it was thought that in the case of this type of congenital defect such grafts could not be done," he added.

The patient, a 32-year-old male named Piotr, was born without one hand. The limb was given to him from a deceased donor.

The procedure took 13 hours and was conducted on Dec. 15. The patient is currently able to move his fingers. So far, the transplant has not been rejected. Doctors are optimistic and foresee the patient gaining more mobility over time. Enditem