Rehabilitation After Bilateral Hand Transplantation in the Quadrimembral Patient

Abstract

The hand transplantation is a unique entity in the fields of medicine and rehabilitation. Hand therapy and rehabilitation programs are consistently reported as essential to a successful functional outcome for the hand transplant patient. In September 2011, our medical center performed their first bilateral hand and forearm transplant on a 28-year-old female 4 years after losing her lower extremities and upper extremities due to multiorgan system failure and pressure-induced extremity ischemia. She participated in 4 months of hand therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy at our institution, and then returned to her hometown to continue with an intensive therapy program. At 16 months after transplantation, she had sensory return to diminished protective level and motor return to all transplanted muscles except for intrinsics. Our hand therapy team established a treatment program based on literature, collaboration with other transplant centers, and clinical experience. Now, 2 years after our first hand transplant case, we assess our plan and program, offer suggestions for developing a treatment program and encourage therapist to collaborate with their own transplant team and others around the United States and the world.