Share

Double arm transplant recipient thanks doctors

accreditation
Man with arms in the airf from Shutterstock
Man with arms in the airf from Shutterstock


A 40-year-old quadruple amputee has thanked the Boston surgeons who performed a rare dual arm transplant on him last month and described the experience of getting the new limbs as surreal.

Anonymous donor

Will Lautzenheiser, who lost his arms and legs to a streptococcal infection in 2011, said he has limited function in the new arms, which are encumbered by wrappings to help with healing.

The arms were attached from an anonymous donor in a nine-hour operation at Brigham & Women's Hospital.

"I want to thank the doctors for their great service," an emotional Lautzenheiser said at a news conference at the hospital. "I want to thank everyone."

He said having the new limbs was "incredible" and "surreal".

Lautzenheiser, a former professor of film production and screenwriting at Boston University and Montana State University, has a long stretch of therapy ahead but hopes to return to his career.

The family of the anonymous donor told Lautzenheiser in a statement issued Tuesday that it hoped he would make a "wonderful recovery, and that your loved ones will be able to enjoy your warm embrace."

The surgery involved 35 medical staff, including 13 surgeons, according to Brigham & Women's Hospital.

While rare, there have been other double-arm transplants in the United States recent years. In 2012, a U.S. soldier who lost all four limbs in a roadside explosion in Iraq had double-arm transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

Read more:

Soldier who lost all limbs gets two arm transplants
Quadruple limb transplant fails
Transplant immunology

Image: Man with arms in the air from Shutterstock

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE