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Pediatric bilateral hand transplant patient discharged, outlook bright
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The first bilateral hand transplant patient, 8-year-old Zion Harvey, who received the transplant earlier this summer, was discharged from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia yesterday.
To complete the surgery, surgeons at CHOP joined with colleagues from Penn Medicine and Shriners Hospitals for Children – Philadelphia for the landmark surgery.
Postoperatively, Zion spent a week in CHOP’s Pediatric ICU before moving to a medical unit and finally to an inpatient rehabilitation unit, where he underwent physical and occupational therapy several times per day.
“Almost immediately after surgery, Zion displayed his resilience and positive attitude as he adjusted to the incredible experience of having new hands. In daily sessions with CHOP physical and occupational therapists, he has worked hard, slowly gaining movement and strength in each hand, learning to pick up and hold objects,” L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, director of the hand transplantation program at CHOP, said in the press release.
Levin led the surgery’s 40-member multidisciplinary team.
Zion will continue to receive therapy on an outpatient basis.
Levin and team will monitor Zion monthly, then annually throughout his lifetime.
Doctors are optimistic about his long term potential, according to the press release.
Source: www.chop.edu