Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital yesterday said that it has completed its third arm transplant.
Taiwanese surgeons began performing arm transplants in 2014 and to date has seen five cases of successful arm transplants involving six arms, the hospital said.
The patients from the first two Kaohsiung transplants in 2014 and 2016 were recovering well, doctor Kuo Yao-jen (郭耀仁) told the Joint Conference of Medical personnel of Kaohsiung Municipal Hospital.
Photo provided by Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital
The first patient, who had injuries lower on the arm and had been without a hand for more than 30 years, has shown great progress in recovery and is now able to perform delicate actions, such as threading a needle or peeling shrimp, Kuo said.
The second patient was injured close to the elbow, but is now able to drive and use a cellphone with the transplanted forearm, Kuo added.
The most recent patient, surnamed Lin (林), should recover 80 to 90 percent of functionality after one to two years of rehabilitation, Kuo said.
Lin lost his forearm two years ago when it was accidentally caught in a cotton gin, Kuo said.
The family of a middle-aged man who passed away on Dec. 4 agreed to donate his left arm, the hospital said.
Although Kuo was unavailable to preside over the surgery, as he was in France at the time, he offered instruction through teleconferencing, it added.
The surgery took 12 hours to complete and Lin was released on Friday last week.
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital superintendent Hou Ming-feng (侯明鋒) also held a celebratory event for Lin the same day, and the two patients who were operated on by Kuo also attended to offer him encouragement in his recovery.
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