Double Hand Transplant Recipient Gaining Sensations, Functions
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It has been a year since Sheila Advento had not just one, but two hand transplants – a first among women in the United States.
"I'm driving, and I'm working a little bit at my old job at Quest, I'm painting, I started drawing again," Advento said.
She uses a computer at work and she is an artist. She paints and draws.
"The texture sensation started to come back, hot and cold came first. I'm also feeling more pain now," Advento said.
A severe infection caused her to lose the ends of her arms and legs. She had been using prosthetics, which were heavy. Now, she's much more independent.
But getting to this point involved a lot of therapy and the small muscles in her hands still haven't regained their complete nerve supply.
She remains on low-dose ,anti-rejection drugs, what's called the Pittsburgh protocol. Luckily, she's had no episodes of rejection.
Finding a female donor to match size and skin tone presents a challenge, as does the surgery itself.
"In one operating room, you have between 18 to 20 surgeons working at the same time. You have a limited amount of time in which you have to get the blood supply going again and that's about 8 to 10 hours," Dr. Joseph Imbriglia, a UPMC hand surgeon, said.
As it turns out, the first American female single hand recipient was also in for a follow-up. They had spent many hours in therapy together.
"It was nice to be here at the same time, we've been meaning to get together," Jessica Arrigo, first female hand recipient, said. "I'm getting my license and I'm back to golfing, I'm golfing again."
"I didn't want to put myself in a situation where I expected certain things to happen right away, and then get disappointed. I'm just thankful for the daily progress I have."
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