Hand transplants offer new hope for double amputees

NCT ID NCT02800434

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This pilot study tested hand and forearm transplants in 7 people who lost both hands. The goal was to see if the brain can adapt to the new hands and improve daily life. Participants had to be between 20 and 40 years old and have had their amputation 3 months to 3 years before the transplant. The study looked at brain changes using fMRI and tracked rejection and side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

hand allograft (transplanted hands and forearms)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could show that hand transplants help restore some function and brain adaptation for double amputees who cannot use prostheses.

What could go wrong

This is a very small pilot study with only 7 participants, so results may not apply widely. There are risks of rejection and side effects from lifelong anti-rejection medication.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Service d'Urologie et Chirurgie de la Transplantion

    Lyon, 69003, France