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Will Lautzenheiser is grateful for the progress he has made each day since receiving a double arm transplant at BWH in October.
The former professor of screenwriting and film production has developed slight movement in his wrists, forearms, elbow and thumb. He’s even able to hug his loved ones. With continued occupational therapy sessions, Lautzenheiser is expected to slowly gain more and more function from his new limbs.
“I had nothing before,” he said. “I can move my elbow. It’s astonishing.”
Lautzenheiser, 40, became a quadruple amputee in 2011 following a life-threatening streptococcal (strep) infection that struck him when he was teaching in Montana. The closest facility that could care for his complex needs at the time was in Utah, and physicians there had to amputate his four limbs in order to save his life. After a year of rehabilitation and recovery, he began an evaluation for a double arm transplant at BWH, for which he was approved in May 2014.
During a Nov. 25 press conference, Lautzenheiser joined Bohdan Pomahac, MD, director of Plastic Surgery Transplantation, Simon G. Talbot, MD, director of Upper Extremity Transplantation, and Matthew Carty, MD, director of Lower Extremity Transplantation and lead surgeon in this case, to share his story. He thanked everyone who made the transplant possible, especially his anonymous donor and his family.
“This person will always be as close to me as my own skin,” he said.
A team of 35 clinicians, including 13 surgeons, worked for nearly nine hours to transplant the arms—one below the elbow and one above. Talbot explained that the team had about a four-hour window in which the donor tissue would remain viable to connect the blood vessels from the donor arms to Lautzenheiser’s.
Surgeons commended Lautzenheiser on his enthusiasm, positive attitude and strength, all of which contributed to him being an ideal transplant candidate. As he continues to recover, Lautzenheiser hopes to get back to filmmaking, teaching and cooking again soon.
“The fact that we can celebrate Will today is a testament not only to the promise of scientific progress, but also to the tangible majesty of what can be accomplished by a cohesive group of dedicated, committed providers and a singularly remarkable individual imbued with courage, inspiration and trust,” Carty said.
During the press conference, which was attended by many members of news media, Richard Luskin, president of the New England Organ Bank, read a brief message to Lautzenheiser, which was written by the donor’s parents: “Our son gave the best hugs. We pray that you make a wonderful recovery and that your loved ones will be able to enjoy your warm embrace.”