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| First person in UK to have double hand transplant says he feels 'whole again' | First person in UK to have double hand transplant says he feels 'whole again' |
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| The first person in the UK to have a double hand transplant has described how he feels “whole again” and is looking forward to riding a bike he has adapted. | The first person in the UK to have a double hand transplant has described how he feels “whole again” and is looking forward to riding a bike he has adapted. |
| Chris King, 57, lost both his hands, except the thumbs, in an accident involving a metal pressing machine at his work three years ago. He is the second person to have a hand transplant at the UK’s specialist centre for the operation at Leeds general infirmary and the first to have both hands replaced. | Chris King, 57, lost both his hands, except the thumbs, in an accident involving a metal pressing machine at his work three years ago. He is the second person to have a hand transplant at the UK’s specialist centre for the operation at Leeds general infirmary and the first to have both hands replaced. |
| Recovering after the surgery, he said: “I couldn’t wish for anything better. It’s better than a lottery win because you feel whole again.” | Recovering after the surgery, he said: “I couldn’t wish for anything better. It’s better than a lottery win because you feel whole again.” |
| King, from Rossington, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said the operation appears to have been a complete success and he already has some movement. | King, from Rossington, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said the operation appears to have been a complete success and he already has some movement. |
| “They look absolutely tremendous,” he said. “They’re my hands. They really are my hands. My blood’s going through them. My tendons are attached. They’re mine. They really are. I can’t wait to get all this [the bandages] off and look at them properly.” | “They look absolutely tremendous,” he said. “They’re my hands. They really are my hands. My blood’s going through them. My tendons are attached. They’re mine. They really are. I can’t wait to get all this [the bandages] off and look at them properly.” |
| The operation, which took 12 hours, was performed by Professor Simon Kay, who led a team of eight surgeons. | The operation, which took 12 hours, was performed by Professor Simon Kay, who led a team of eight surgeons. |
| “It’s the first time we’ve done that in the UK,” said Kay. “It’s the first time as far as I’m aware, that a hand transplant’s been done which hasn’t been above the wrist, which has been within the substance of the hand, which makes it much more difficult and more complex. As far as I know those are unique features.” | “It’s the first time we’ve done that in the UK,” said Kay. “It’s the first time as far as I’m aware, that a hand transplant’s been done which hasn’t been above the wrist, which has been within the substance of the hand, which makes it much more difficult and more complex. As far as I know those are unique features.” |
| Kay added: “Chris is doing really well. We’re in the first ten days still. Everybody latches onto movement but, of course, it’s very important that he regains the feeling as well. And I would expect that he will regain very good movement and very good feeling.” | Kay added: “Chris is doing really well. We’re in the first ten days still. Everybody latches onto movement but, of course, it’s very important that he regains the feeling as well. And I would expect that he will regain very good movement and very good feeling.” |
| The surgeon said King had been evaluated for two years before a decision was taken to add him to the list of people suitable for transplant. He is the first to have undergone the procedure since NHS England awarded the contract to Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust to become the specialist centre for hand transplants. | The surgeon said King had been evaluated for two years before a decision was taken to add him to the list of people suitable for transplant. He is the first to have undergone the procedure since NHS England awarded the contract to Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust to become the specialist centre for hand transplants. |
| Kay said: “I think now that hand transplantation is a reality and people can see the good it does, I hope they’ll consider making that donation as readily as they do a liver and kidney and heart and lungs.” | Kay said: “I think now that hand transplantation is a reality and people can see the good it does, I hope they’ll consider making that donation as readily as they do a liver and kidney and heart and lungs.” |
| He said there was more to think about than when transplanting internal organs. “Nobody cares what their kidney looks like as long as it works. But not only do we have to match the hands immunologically, in the same way that we have to match kidneys and livers, they also have to look appropriate because the hands are on view the whole time. In a way that makes the job of finding the correct donor even harder,” he said. | He said there was more to think about than when transplanting internal organs. “Nobody cares what their kidney looks like as long as it works. But not only do we have to match the hands immunologically, in the same way that we have to match kidneys and livers, they also have to look appropriate because the hands are on view the whole time. In a way that makes the job of finding the correct donor even harder,” he said. |
| Kay performed the UK’s first hand transplant in 2012 when he gave Mark Cahill, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, a new right hand. Cahill had the operation at the age of 51, after his right hand became infected during an attack of gout. He is now able to do far more for himself than before, including tying his shoelaces, carrying his granddaughter, chopping vegetables and driving a car. | Kay performed the UK’s first hand transplant in 2012 when he gave Mark Cahill, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, a new right hand. Cahill had the operation at the age of 51, after his right hand became infected during an attack of gout. He is now able to do far more for himself than before, including tying his shoelaces, carrying his granddaughter, chopping vegetables and driving a car. |
| About 80 hand transplants have been carried out around the world so far. Data collected by the International Registry for Hand and Composite Tissue Transplantation found that recipients were happy after transplant surgery with what NHS England described as their “cosmetic, sensory, functional and social outcomes”. | About 80 hand transplants have been carried out around the world so far. Data collected by the International Registry for Hand and Composite Tissue Transplantation found that recipients were happy after transplant surgery with what NHS England described as their “cosmetic, sensory, functional and social outcomes”. |
| Forty percent said the results had been “excellent”, 53% said “good” and 7% rated the outcome as “fair”; none gave a negative score. | Forty percent said the results had been “excellent”, 53% said “good” and 7% rated the outcome as “fair”; none gave a negative score. |
| The UK operations cost an estimated £50,000 each. NHS England, which is funding them, estimates that between two and four patients living anywhere in England will have surgery. | The UK operations cost an estimated £50,000 each. NHS England, which is funding them, estimates that between two and four patients living anywhere in England will have surgery. |
| King said he spent three years getting used to having no hands and resigned himself to living an adapted life despite reminders from his five-year-old niece. “A couple of weeks ago she was holding my thumbs, walking with me, and she said ‘Uncle Chris, when are you going to grow some fingers?’,” he said. | King said he spent three years getting used to having no hands and resigned himself to living an adapted life despite reminders from his five-year-old niece. “A couple of weeks ago she was holding my thumbs, walking with me, and she said ‘Uncle Chris, when are you going to grow some fingers?’,” he said. |
| King said his passion was cycling and he had already had a bike adapted so he could use it. Now, he wants to ride properly and start doing simple things, such as gardening with his ride-on mower. | King said his passion was cycling and he had already had a bike adapted so he could use it. Now, he wants to ride properly and start doing simple things, such as gardening with his ride-on mower. |
| “I could shout from the rooftops and celebrate it big time, which is what I’m going to do,” he said. He added that he is most looking forward to holding a bottle of beer properly. “A bottle of Timothy Taylor’s – that’s what I can’t wait to get back for,” he said. | “I could shout from the rooftops and celebrate it big time, which is what I’m going to do,” he said. He added that he is most looking forward to holding a bottle of beer properly. “A bottle of Timothy Taylor’s – that’s what I can’t wait to get back for,” he said. |
| King has gone back to work at Eaton Lighting, in Doncaster, where the accident happened and said the firm has been brilliant. “They just took me in and said ‘Chris we’ll find something for you to do’,” he said. | King has gone back to work at Eaton Lighting, in Doncaster, where the accident happened and said the firm has been brilliant. “They just took me in and said ‘Chris we’ll find something for you to do’,” he said. |
| He remembers the accident perfectly but said there was no pain and no trauma. However, he does sometimes have problems going back into the department where the machine is located. | He remembers the accident perfectly but said there was no pain and no trauma. However, he does sometimes have problems going back into the department where the machine is located. |
| The brother of the anonymous donor said the family had been devastated at his death but had given the go-ahead for his hands and other organs to be used. | The brother of the anonymous donor said the family had been devastated at his death but had given the go-ahead for his hands and other organs to be used. |
| He added: “Learning that he had registered as an organ donor made our decision to support him donating so much easier. We are pleased that the double hand transplant operation was able to go ahead… We are looking on his donation as a positive gift which we all hope will help somebody else to live a normal life.” | He added: “Learning that he had registered as an organ donor made our decision to support him donating so much easier. We are pleased that the double hand transplant operation was able to go ahead… We are looking on his donation as a positive gift which we all hope will help somebody else to live a normal life.” |