America's first double hand transplant patient now wants hands removed


Jeff Kepner, 64, lost both of his hands in 1999 due to sepsis evolving from a strep throat infection. Ten years later, he became the first person in the United States to have a double hand transplant — what was supposed to be an inspiring, life-changing operation. Now, though, he says he wants those hands removed.
"From day one, I have never been able to use my hands," Kepner told Time after living with the non-functioning hands for seven years. "I can do absolutely nothing. I sit in my chair all day and wear my TV out." Kepner said before the transplant, he was 75 percent functional using his prosthetics; since the experimental surgery to attach new hands, though, he says he's 0 percent functional.
"Complex surgery such as hand transplant do not produce uniform results in everyone, but we have been encouraged by the functional return in the great majority of our recipients whose lives have been transformed by the procedure," Kepner's lead surgeon, Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee, told Time.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Kepner might be stuck with his nonfunctioning hands, too — removing them doesn't guarantee he could easily go back to using prosthetics, and comes with many medical complications. Besides, Kepner has had enough time under the knife. "I am not going through all those operations again," he said. Read more about the high hopes for Kepner, and the reality of his life now, at Time.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
How generative AI is changing the way we write and speak
In The Spotlight ChatGPT and other large language model tools are quietly influencing which words we use
-
Can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
Easy Money: the Charles Ponzi Story – an 'enlightening' podcast
The Week Recommends Apple Original podcast explores the 'fascinating' tale of the man who gave the investment scam its name
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program
-
Israel deports Thunberg after seizing Gaza aid boat
speed read The Swedish activist was delivering food and medical aid to Palestine, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis there
-
Colombian senator shot on streets of Bogotá
speed read Miguel Uribe Turbay, who has announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election, was shot at a rally
-
Trump says Putin vowed retaliation for Kyiv strike
speed read The Russian president intends to respond to Ukraine's weekend drone strikes on Moscow's warplanes
-
Dutch government falls over immigration policy
speed read The government collapsed after anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders quit the right-wing coalition
-
South Korea elects liberal Lee as president
speed read Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, was elected president following months of political instability in the wake of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
-
Nationalist wins tight Polish presidential election
speed read Karol Nawrocki beat Rafal Trzaskowski in Poland's presidential runoff election