The failure of these surgeries is hard to state because how does one define failure. Is failure the fact that a patient does not want to keep the hand and opts to get it removed? Is failure defined as anything below a certain level of mobility and sensitivity? The fact is that these surgeries have proved to be better than prosthesis, so in that respect the surgeries are all successes. On the other hand, none of the surgeries have returned full function or sensitivity to the person’s hand.
-The world's first hand transplant was attempted in 1964 in Ecuador, South
America. It was rejected.
- In September 1998 in France, Clint Hallam received the first successful
cadaver hand transplant. He later asked for it to be removed.
- January 24, 1999, Matthew Scott receives first US hand transplant at
Jewish Hospital in Kentucky.
-In September of 1999, China did single hands transplanted to two men
at same time.
-In January of 2000, France transplanted two hands to the same person
(first double hand surgery).
-In March 2000, Austria did a double hand transplant.
-In May 2000, Malaysia did the first world's hand & arm transplant,
to a one month old girl from her dead identical twin.
-In October 2000, Italy did its first single hand transplant.
-In February 2001, The US did another single hand transplant on Jerry
Fisher.
Total: 10 hand transplants documented
Failure: 2 (one because it was in 1964 and they didn’t use immunosuppressant
and one because the patient asked for it to be removed.)
Total Surgeries as of 2003: there have been 22 hand transplants on 20
people of which all were successful except for Clint Hallum in France
who refused to take his medication and his body rejected the hand.
From this data, there have been no real failures on the surgeons’
part as of the introduction of immunosuppressant drugs. However, one should
remember that since these surgeries are still in the experimental stage,
all of the patients are carefully selected and have the least risk of
problems resulting from the surgery.
