Bilateral Hand Transplant Treatment

It is a surgical procedure of replacing both left and right hands with the donor’s hand. This transplantation is mostly done by using a deceased donor’s hand. The process is also known as double-hand transplantation. Medical advancement has made the bilateral hand transplant a great option for those individuals whose hands get amputated. This transplantation gives you a good quality of life and a feeling of new hands.

According to the National Institutes of Health(NIH), it is shown that approximately 110 hands were transplanted throughout the world. Through this procedure, prosthetic hands are attached to the donor’s arm to give them a new hope of life. Here you will get to know about the procedure of the transplantation.

Benefits of Bilateral Hand Transplant 

There are some benefits of this transplantation, these are as follows:

• It restores the appearance of the arm and hand and their physical capabilities.
• It helps to regain the confidence to return to their normal life.
• The transplantation of the hands restored its functionality. Like using the telephone, riding a bicycle, drinking, brushing teeth, eating, driving, etc.

Procedure of Bilateral Hand Transplant

Bilateral hand transplantation is a complicated process that involves the following protocol:

Diagnosis

There are some diagnostic tests that are run by a surgeon before starting the procedure. These are as mentioned below:

• X-ray
• Blood tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and syphilis
• Physical examination
• Nerve function assessment
• Physical and occupational therapy tests

Procedure

It is a long procedure that takes up to 24 hours, and it is completed in the following steps:

Before the Procedure

The first step is to screen the medical and social history of the donor. This includes serological tests, physical examination, etc. You will be advised to follow some instructions, such as avoid smoking, alcohol, maintain a healthy lifestyle, like supplements and physical exercise. You will be placed on a waiting list. Then, on the basis of availability of a deceased donor hand, this is matched with your skin color, age, blood type, etc.

During the Procedure

This is a complex procedure that is performed in the following ways:

• Firstly, a doctor gives anesthesia to the recipient, which will numb the area.
• Now incisions are made on the donor’s hand and your arms.
• The doctor will connect the following parts of the donor’s hand to your arm. Such as blood vessels, nerves, bone, tendon, muscles, and skin.
• Bones are joined together with the help of screws and plates. Then, small parts are stitched together to make a connection to your arm.
• All cuts are closed by using sutures.

After the Procedure

Once the procedure is done then the patient is moved to the recovery area from the intensive care unit. An individual has to stay in the hospital for a few weeks. Some tests are done to see the improvement and recovery. These are imaging tests and blood tests. Pain-relieving medicines are given to reduce discomfort.

Doctor will check the function of the patient’s hand by tapping throughout the hand and by moving fingers. Immunosuppressants are given after the surgery to reduce the rejection of the donor part. 

Risks of Hand Transplantation

This is a major surgery that may cause some risks to the patients, and these are as follows:

• Immunosuppressant Risks: These are potent medicines that help to prevent the rejection of the donor’s hand. It is required to take it for the entire life.
• Risk of Rejection: The body’s immune system treats the donor’s hand as a foreign part to your system. Then your immune system attacks like viruses do, and then try to destroy your hand. This rejection is of two types:
  • Acute Rejection: When the body’s immune system starts to produce special proteins. These are antibodies that attack tissues and blood vessels of the donor hands. It includes swelling, rashes, and change in the color of the skin. It may be controlled by using medications, and sometimes it involves the removal of the donor hand.
  • Chronic Rejection: This rejection causes pain in the hand and even loses its function. It happens over a longer period of time. Later on, it shows some symptoms, like loss of hair on the hand and changes in the fingernails.
• Surgical Risks: They includes blood clots, bleeding, and infection. This clot decreases the blood flow to the hand.
• Pain and Discomfort: You may experience post-operative pain and discomfort after the hand transplantation. It is also required to monitor the level of immunosuppressive medicines.