Double hand transplant recipient is recovering

Jeff Kepner, who received America's first double hand transplant on Monday, is recovering in intensive care at UPMC Montefiore and is doing well, hospital officials said.

The 57-year-old Augusta, Ga., man, who lost both hands and feet to a sudden, severe blood infection 10 years ago, received the hands and lower forearms of a deceased donor in a nine-hour surgery.

Beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, four teams of 10 surgeons worked on the transplant - two teams to prepare the donor's hands and arms, and two to prepare Mr. Kepner's arms, carefully labelling the tendons, nerves and muscles that would need to be attached.



Mr. Kepner is in critical but stable condition, UPMC spokeswoman Amy Dugas Rose said, which is standard after transplant surgery.

The medical center originally had estimated the double transplant could take 15 to 20 hours, but the experience team members gained when they did a single hand transplant March 14 apparently helped make the process even more efficient this time.

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