Overview
Hand transplant is a treatment option for people who have had one or both hands amputated. In a hand transplant, you receive one or two donor hands and a portion of the forearms from a person who has died. Hand transplants are performed in a small number of transplant centers worldwide.
Although not guaranteed, a hand transplant may help you regain some hand function and sensation. While a hand transplant can improve your quality of life, getting the surgery involves making a lifelong commitment to treatment. You’ll need to take special medications (immunosuppressants). You’ll also have routine physical therapy and health care appointments to check on the condition of your donor hands.
Why it’s done
A hand transplant is performed in selected cases in an attempt to improve quality of life and give you some function and feeling in your new hands.
When matching you with a donor hand for a hand transplant, surgeons consider:
- Blood type
- Tissue type
- Skin color
- Ages of donor and recipient
- The sex of the donor and recipient
- Hand size
- Muscle bulk
