German farmer starts using his transplanted arms

After the world's first successful double arm transplant conducted on Karl Merk, 54, a German farmer, in a press conference on 8 October, 2008 he publicly said that he is feeling better as he is recovering well.

Six year ago in an unfortunate farming accident Merk lost his arms and on July 25 to 26, 2008 at the Munich University Clinic he was given the transplant operation.

The transplant operation which lasted for 15 hours, involved 40 surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other surgery supporting staff to implant the arms from a donor’s body on to the body of recipient.

In this transplant operation, arms were reattached just below the shoulder. After the surgery, Reiner Gradinger, medical director at the Munich University Clinic said, "The reattachment appears up to now to have proceeded optimally."

The donor was a teenager who died in a car accident shortly before the surgery. The name of the teenager is not known as it has not been revealed by the clinic.

Merk said the feeling of being whole again is “indescribable.”

Doctors said that it will take Merk up to about two years to learn again how to use his arms properly.

"The regeneration process will take a long time," remarked Hans-Guenther Machens, director of hand and plastic surgery at the Klinikum rechts der Isar clinic.

As of now, Merk is able to perform diminutive activities with his new arms like opening doors and turning lights on and off. But Merk is fully determined to slowly start using his arms for more intricate activities like to eat, to dress himself and to ride motorcycle.

According to experts, only after two years it can be said with certainty the kind of activities Merk will be able do with his arms. Presently, a six-week intensive program will be given to Merk to make his arms fully- functional and sensational.

The only issue of concern about the transplant is that the immune system of Merk’s body should accept the new body organs, only than the further advances can be expected. But physicians said the reports have shown no such sign of rejection by the patient’s body.