Man born without a hand undergoes 'world first' surgery to have a new limb attached in Poland

A man born without a hand has been given one from a deceased donor in what surgeons claim is a world first.

• The man, who is known as Piotr, has spent his entire life without his left hand
• It is believed a congenital birth defect caused him to be born without the limb
• However, the procedure has reduced his ability to move any of his fingers
• But doctors are optimistic he will gain more mobility over the next few months

The 32-year-old, who has spent his life without his left hand, underwent a 13-hour procedure last week to have the new limb attached.

Despite currently only having the ability to move his fingers, doctors are optimistic Piotr will gain more mobility over time. 

Adam Domanasiewicz, who headed the operation at Wroclaw Medical University, Poland, said: 'It is the first graft in the world of an upper limb onto an adult with this congenital defect.

'We are talking about a man who lived 32 years without this member.

'This is an important breakthrough in neurophysiology and the practice of transplants because up to now it was thought that - in the case of this type of congenital defect - such grafts could not be done.'

The operation could open up new possibilities to hundreds of thousands of people in the world born without members whose only option to date has been prostheses, he added.

HOW ARE HANDS TRANSPLANTED?

Operations to attach a donor hand are long and complex, often lasting for up to 12 hours.

Surgeons work on removing the limb from the donor while others work on the recipient.

Bones are joined together in the hand with titanium plates and screws to ensure stability while they eventually heal together.

The remaining key tendons, muscles and blood vessels are connected.

 And once blood is circulating, they are attached - allowing for feeling in the hand to come back