Hind-Limb Transplantation in the Rat: Surgical Technique, Anaesthesia and Early Postoperative Management

Human hand transplantation became a reality on 23 September 1998 when the first successful case was performed, with long-term transplant survival and promising functional recovery [1]. Twenty-four hand transplantations have been performed until the writing of this book (12 unilateral and 6 bilateral). However, there remains considerable debate over the ethical consequences of hand allotransplantation, and many questions must be answered before it becomes a routine procedure.