In a special issue dedicated to prosthetics research, researchers at the Christine Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery in Louisville, Kentucky, provide an update on five patients to receive hand transplants in the United States.

The update describes a brief history of each patient, why they were transplanted, the immunosuppression they received and complications they encountered, and a summary of how each patient is functioning with their new hand.

Based on these findings, researchers conclude that hand transplants are not only feasible but a clinical option for select patients. Hand transplantation promises patients function and sensation that they could not achieve with a prosthesis.

JRRD is a well-established and respected peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The journal publishes original research, clinical studies, and reviews covering 25 rehabilitation disciplines. JRRD is widely distributed in print and electronic format to both national and international audiences, reaching more than 500,000 readers across 6 continents in 2007.

Source: Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development