Arm replantationIn 1962, a 12-year-old boy's severed arm was reattached in the world's first successful replantation of a human limb with microvascular repair of vessels by a team of surgeons led by Drs. Ronald A. Malt and J. McKhann at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. The arm had been severed three inches below the shoulder by the wheels of a train. Good functional recovery of nerves is generally better in children than in adults. After additional operations, he regained some useful functioning of the limb. A journal article in Nov 1969 gave in a case report that he recovered a powerful grip and strength in his biceps muscle. Though there was a little “clawing” of the fingers, his tactile recovery was good enough to identify coins and use his fingers in handling objects. He became employed as a garage mechanic.« |
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