Lone Star Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 [align=center:64521bf3c8]Man recovering after 1st double arm transplant 'Not giving them away again,' says German farmer after 15-hour operation[/align:64521bf3c8] MUNICH, Germany - A German farmer who received the world's first complete double arm transplant said Wednesday that incredulity gave way to joy when he woke from surgery to discover he had arms again. Karl Merk, who lost his arms in a farming accident six years ago, said he at first could not believe that the transplant appeared to have been succesful. "It was really overwhelming when I saw that I had arms again," said the 54-year-old, who wore a sleeveless black shirt showing clearly where his new arms had been grafted. "These are my arms, and I'm not giving them away again," he told reporters at the Munich University Clinic where he remains nearly three months after the 15-hour operation. Merk is recovering well and can perform simple tasks such as opening doors and turning lights on and off. His ultimate goals are to eat and dress himself — and ride a motorcycle. "All in all, our wildest expectations have pretty much been fulfilled," said Christoph Hoehnke, one of the lead doctors. A total of 40 surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other support staff carried out the 15-hour operation on July 25-26 to graft the donor's arms on to the body of Merk, who lost his own just below the shoulder in a combine harvester accident. Doctors said there were good indications of nerve growth in the arms but it could take up to two years before he relearns how to use his hands. Merk appeared at the news conference Wednesday with lower arms bandaged and supported with a series of straps attached to shoulder pads. Merk said he was looking forward to going home after four to six more weeks of an intensive program of physiotherapy, electric stimulation and psychological counseling. There is also still a risk that Merk's immune system will react, though doctors said so far there was no sign of them being rejected.
Arizonaffcep Posted October 10, 2008 Posted October 10, 2008 Kinda brings a new meaning to the term "the stranger"...
ERDoc Posted October 10, 2008 Posted October 10, 2008 All of his freinds had mixed emotions. They were happy that he had a new set of arms, but were upset that they would have to abandon his nickname, Stumpy. Sorry, very poor taste, but I'm starting my overnights and feeling a little tire.
ERDoc Posted October 11, 2008 Posted October 11, 2008 , that's pretty funny. I have heard that he now feels a love he has never felt before, the love of self-love.
Richard B the EMT Posted October 11, 2008 Posted October 11, 2008 Back in 1968, on Rowan and Martin's Laugh In, they did a bit where a woman got a bilateral hand transplant, one hand from an FBI agent, the other from a CIA agent. "Neither hand lets the other hand know what it is doing".
firedoc5 Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 I wonder if they ran his finger prints it would show the donor's identification? Would they "reassign" his ID in the system?
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