HAND TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE ANIMATION SCRIPT

Here is how the procedure of the hand transplant will be accomplished.

In the operating room, the patient is given regional anesthesia. The upper extremity is prepped and draped in the routine sterile manner.

The flow of blood is restricted by the use of a special tourniquet placed on the arm.

Curved incisions are made on the skin to expose the deeper structures.

Dissection is made through the soft tissue to locate the radius and ulna bones.

The surgeons first connect the radius bone together, using a metal T-plate. A second plate unites the ulna bone on the lateral side.

After the plates have been secured, the surgeons begin the process of attaching the tendons.

By pulling a tendon, the surgeons are able to flex the finger.

They test each tendon, and then all the flexor tendons are connected.

The hand and forearm are rotated 180 degrees and the same process is used to attach the extensor tendons.

After all the tendons have been connected, the surgeons are ready to repair the nerves.

A powerful microscope is brought into the surgical field to provide the surgeons with a highly detailed view of the nerves.

As with the tendons, the two ends of each nerve are brought together. The repair is performed with individual stitches.

After the nerves have been repaired, the next step is to connect the arteries.

The ends of the arteries are brought together, and connected with individual stitches.

Once these steps have been completed, the hand is turned 180 degrees and the veins are connected. Once the veins are connected, the use of the microscope is no longer necessary.

Now the tourniquet is released. The surgical team watches for the hand to become pink with the return of circulation, and the pulsation of the arteries is observed.

The skin is then closed. The patient is taken to his/her room to recuperate. A specially trained medical staff monitors and cares for the patient.

Physical therapy will be started within the following week if rejection is controlled by immunosuppression and the body has accepted the transplant. Once again, the patient has use of a very important body part - the hand.

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