| March 1, 2001 | |
| FOR MORE INFORMATION: |
Linda McGinity Jackson, Jewish Hospital Barbara Mackovic, Kleinert, Kutz and Associates Hand Care Center, PLLC Rae Goldsmith, University of Louisville |
HAND TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT TO ATTEND FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE
Transplant Procedure Performed Feb. 16-17 at Jewish Hospital by Kleinert, Kutz and Associates and University of Louisville Surgeons
LOUISVILLE, KY The nation's second hand transplant recipient, Jerry Fisher, will attend his first news conference at Jewish Hospital along with his physicians, lead hand surgeon Warren C. Breidenbach, M.D., Kleinert, Kutz & Associates Hand Care Center, and lead transplant surgeon Darla K. Granger, M.D., University of Louisville.
The news conference is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, March 2 in the Jewish Hospital Rudd Heart and Lung Conference Center, 16th floor, 201 Abraham Flexner Way. The conference will be up linked via satellite: Ku-Band SBS 6, Transponder 5, Vertical Frequency 11823 MHZ. The signal will be available from 3-4 p.m. (EST), Friday, March 2.
Drs. Breidenbach and Granger will give an update on Fisher's condition, function, movement and hand therapy sessions. Fisher will be available to answer questions from the media at the news conference.
Fisher is in good spirits and very pleased with his progress. He participates in hand therapy two hours a day, six days a week. Over the weekend, Fisher was released from Jewish Hospital and will remain in the Louisville area for the next three months to be monitored and continue his hand therapy sessions. Visiting Nurse Association will provide nursing and personal care during his stay in Louisville.
The 18-member transplant team included surgeons from Kleinert, Kutz and Associates Hand Care Center, PLLC, the University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital as well as a five-member team from Anesthesiology Associates. Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates, an organ procurement organization, coordinated the donation of the hands for both recipients. The group of surgeons that performed the procedure also performed the nation's first hand transplant on Matthew Scott two years ago.
Information, photography and streaming video are also available on our web site at www.handtransplant.com or www.jewishhospital.org.