Perspectives on hand transplantation

The early experience of hand transplantation has yielded a mixture of successes and failures. No life-threatening adverse effects have been encountered from immunosuppression, yet additional medications were required in some cases with unknown long-term efficacy or side effects. Limited functional returns have been observed, but any effect of chronic rejection is too early to determine. Although the experience has confirmed the benefits of hand transplantation to patients and their families, the future of hand transplantation on a wide scale is dependent on further research to alter its risk-benefit balance.