First Double Hand Transplanted; Patient Doing Well

by Jacob Cherian    October 13, 2008

MUNICH, Germany (GroundReport) - Karl Merk, a German farmer received the world's first complete double arm transplant is said to be doing well, according to published reports.

On Wednesday Merk told reporters that incredulity gave way to joy when he woke from surgery when he realized that he had arms again, reports The Associated Press.

The farmer lost his arms in a farming accident six years ago,.

"It was really overwhelming when I saw that I had arms again," said 54-year-old Merk in an AP report. "These are my arms, and I'm not giving them away again," he told reporters at the Munich University Clinic

"All in all, our wildest expectations have pretty much been fulfilled," said Christoph Hoehnke, one of the lead doctors.

Fourtysurgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other support staff carried out the 15-hour operation on July 25-26.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

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