Ky. surgeons perform unusual double hand transplant; surgery updates posted on Twitter

Ky. surgeons perform rare double hand transplant

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky doctors say they have successfully completed a rare double hand transplant at Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center in Louisville.

The doctors, from Kleinert Kutz and Associates and the University of Louisville, started the operation at 7 p.m. Tuesday and finished Wednesday afternoon. They used Twitter to post updates on the 20-hour surgery.

Two other double hand transplants have been done at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the first in May 2009 and the second in February of this year. Louisville doctors performed the nation’s first five single hand transplants.