MUNICH, Germany - A German farmer is doing well more than two months after undergoing what doctors say is the world's first complete double arm transplant.
Doctors in Munich spent 15 hours on July 25-26 grafting donor arms onto the body of 54-year-old Karl Merk.
He lost both of his own just below the shoulder in a farm accident involving a combine six years ago.
On Wednesday, the doctors said Merk is continuing to recover and is able to perform some basic tasks, like opening doors and turning off lights.
However, they say it may take up to two years before nerve regeneration progresses enough to allow him to resume full use of his hands.
It took five teams of medical professionals -- a total of some 40 surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other helpers -- to carry out the operation.
"These are my arms, and I'm not giving them away again," Merk said at a news conference at the Munich University Clinic where the operation was performed.
Merk said that when he first woke up, he could not believe it had been carried off successfully.
"It was really overwhelming when I saw that I had arms again," he said.
At the moment, Merk said he was just looking forward to going home, which doctors said could be in four to six weeks.
During that time he will have to continue an intensive program of physiotherapy, electric stimulation and psychological counselling.
There is also still a risk that Merk's immune system will react to the new appendages, though doctors said so far there has been no sign of them being rejected.
