A Plastic Surgeon Also Performed The First Successful Hand Transplant

Dr. Warren Breidenbach, chief of the Division of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery at the University of Arizona in mid-2016, has had a long and storied career. His current focus includes the establishment of an institute for the study of composite tissue transplantation and leading-edge work on immunosuppressants. He is considered the world’s foremost authority on hand transplants and for good reason. In 1999, he became the first surgeon to perform the procedure successfully.

The recipient, Matthew Scott, had lost his hand in a fireworks accident an unbelievable 14 years prior to receiving the landmark surgery. Planning the procedure took three years. Breidenbach had to deal with the scrutiny of the entire medical community over ethics concerns as once again there were serious questions as to whether the procedure was even viable. Previous attempts—one in 1964 when immunosuppressant drugs were in their infancy and one just a year prior in 1998—had both resulted in the host’s immune system rejecting the donor hand. Since this time, over 85 recipients have received hand or arm transplants worldwide, including children, amputees, and victims of explosives. 

Once again, the procedure could never have come to fruition without the advances already made by plastic surgeons and it took one of the very best to do it successfully. As of 2016, Breidenbach has performed more hand transplants than any other surgeon and has trained the majority of the rest who are qualified to perform the procedure in the US.

plastic surgery blog, melbourne plastic surgery, plastic surgery mistakes, demi moore plastic surgery, low cost plastic surgery, reconstructive plastic surgery, plastic surgery forum, teenage plastic surgery, eyelid plastic surgery, Sydney center for cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery Sydney, cosmetic laser surgery, plastic surgery breast augmentation, against plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery prices, plastic surgery specialist, plastic surgery facts, plastic surgery celebrities, plastic surgery centers, plastic surgery recovery, plastic surgery procedure, plastic surgery san diego, types of plastic surgery, michael jackson plastic surgery, korean plastic surgery, plastic surgery institute, virtual plastic surgery, plastic surgery md,plastic surgery stories, plastic surgery risks,celeb plastic surgery, plastic surgery surgeons, plastic surgery penis, facial cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dental surgery, plastic surgery los angeles, pictures of plastic surgery, labia plastic surgery, aweful plastic surgery, lip plastic surgery, san francisco plastic surgery, ear plastic surgery, vagina plastic surgery, plastic surgery eyes, miami plastic surgery, austin plastic surgery, cosmetic foot surgery