Procedure Continued
Hand Transplant Surgery
1. Duration of Surgery: 8-12 hours (In comparison a typical
heart transplant takes 6-8 hours and a typical liver transplant takes
8-12 hours)
2. Summary of Surgery:
-Tissue repair is in the following order: bone fixation, tendon repair, artery repair, nerve repair, vein repair.
picture from www.handtransplant.com/procedure/3d.html
-Before the skin is closed and after the arteries are reattached the surgeons
watch for a return of pinkish color in the hand and observe the pulsation
of the arteries.
picture from www.handtransplant.com/procedure/3d.html
3. Note: Hand transplantation is a complex procedure
but may not be as difficult as a hand replantation because a hand replantation
often involves crushed or mangled bones, tendons, or ligaments.
