UCSF Team Perform First Unique Elbow Transplant In The World

A team of doctors from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) performed the first elbow transplant of its kind in the world. The surgeons successfully performed an elbow-to-elbow transplant where a joint was transplanted so he can gain mobility in his one of his arms again.

Reggie Cook was an ordinary man in Texas when he lost the movement of one of his elbows in a car accident more than five years ago. ABC7 News reports that without the use of his arm, Cook is unable to do simple chores and other daily tasks of living. After being fed up of having limited use of his body, he approached his doctor and pitched an idea to transplant some parts of his body on to his unusable elbow.

One of the UCSF doctors said that the surgery has not been done before. They carefully studied Cook's damaged elbow and they practiced some surgery techniques on a cadaver. The UCSF team was gathered after the doctors found out that the surgery could be possible. The elbow transplant took 11 hours with two teams taking turns to make sure that everything goes according to plan. The UCSF team took some bones off the undamaged elbow to transplant ito to Cook's damaged elbow.

The first ever elbow-to-elbow transplant was a success. According to Kvia.com, Cook is able to move his hand. According to the doctors, the blood flow is normal on his transplanted arm. The doctors hope that when the transplant is healed, Cook will be able to lift things and normally move it again. He and the rest of the UCSF team are the first to undergo and perform the unique elbow transplant in the world.