One of the first participants in the hand transplantation experiment regrets its decision

In the US, seven years ago, the world's first limb transplantation operation was performed - Jeff Kepner was first transplanted with 2 donor hands. At that time, this operation became a real sensation and all prophesied to the participants of the experiment a new life. But, unlike other patients, the appearance of two hands did not bring relief to Jeff himself, rather, on the contrary, his life became heavier and, as Kepler himself stated, at the first opportunity he would get rid of his hands.

Kepner argues that it is impossible to do anything with donor hands, and the motor activity has not returned to them since the moment of the operation. By the way, Jeff is one of the few patients who agreed to participate in the experimental operation, but in the case of Jeff, all that the doctors could do was to implant other people's hands, but not to give them mobility.

Today in the US transplantation has achieved outstanding success, such complex operations as transplantation of the male sexual organ, face, uterus, etc., are performed, but taking into account the complexity of the operation, there is always a risk of complications.

Kepner was amputated due to a streptococcal infection that triggered sepsis, but he received prosthetic devices with which he could even drive a car and perform some work, now with new hands he completely depends on others.

According to Jeff, when he agreed to a transplant, he was aware of all the risks, but he assumed that in case of failure the doctors would simply return the prosthesis to him, but in reality everything turned out differently.

Operation, which lasted 9 hours, was successful, afterwards the body of Kepner did not alienate other people's limbs, however, new hands did not function. Jeff asked surgeons to remove the inferior limbs, but, according to doctors, this is associated with some risks, first of all, there is a high probability that Kepner will not be able to use prostheses, and a long rehabilitation period will also be required.

Now doctors offer Köpner the only suitable option - surgery and subsequent treatment, which will partially or completely return the mobility to donor hands. But Jeff himself is already tired of the treatment and does not want more repeated operations.

The surgeon who operated on Kepler seven years ago noted that the surviving organs are removed in extremely rare cases, according to statistics, only 6 cases out of 100 require the removal of the transplanted organ. Also, Dr. Andrew Lee noted that there are 3 more patients in the US who participated in the experiment, but only Kepner's limbs do not function. Other patients lead a habitual way of life, can drive a car on their own, do some work.

The outcome of such complex surgical interventions as transplantation of limbs depends on a number of factors, in particular, the patient's organism plays an important role. But Kepner argues that after the surgery, surgeons were not interested in his condition, and his life after the operation became almost unbearable, since he was more independent with prostheses than with new hands from the donor. But Jeff does not blame the surgeons, the probability that he will have partially functioning hands after the operation was high, but in his case the mobility was not restored in the transplanted limbs, and now Kepner refuses to participate in any experiments.

The case of Jeff Kepner is in fact the only one that is unsuccessful, in most cases the motor activity of the limbs is restored some time after transplantation.

[1], [2], [3]