Double hand transplant recipient released from hospital

Tools

Story Published: Feb 9, 2010 at 12:33 PM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 9, 2010 at 12:33 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The nation's first double hand transplant recipient has left a Pittsburgh hospital after medicine cleared up a rash that signaled he might be rejecting his new hands.

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center spokeswoman Amy Dugas says 58-year-old Jeff Kepner of Augusta, Ga., was discharged Monday from UPMC Montefiore hospital.

Kepner received the hands at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in May and went home in October. He was hospitalized last week after he developed the rash on both hands. Dugas says the
rash went away after doctors applied an ointment to suppress his
immune system.

Kepner, a former pastry chef, lost his hands and feet a decade ago to a bacterial infection. The donor was a 23-year-old Pennsylvania man.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

User Agreement

View comments

The following comments do not necessarily represent the views of NBC Augusta 26 | news, weather, sports, community, entertainment, shopping for Augusta, Georgia. Users have agreed to these terms and in doing so accept full responsibility for their comments. Moderation is limited.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

WAGT and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. Comments are posted on site immediately and without station moderation. If you feel a comment is inappropriate you may flag it for review. For guidelines on flagging comments see our Terms & Conditions. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

I have read and agree to the terms

Hide comments

More Good Stuff

Advertisement

WAGT Weather

Click here for 7 Day Forecast
Icon
Current Temp 49.0 °F
Fair
More Weather

WAGT Weather

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

On Demand

NBC Augusta 26 RSS FeedsNBC Augusta 26 Twitter Feed NBC Augusta 26 Facebook Page NBC Full Shows Online
 Local Guides
 Aiken
 Anderson
 Athens
 Augusta
 Columbia
 Dublin
 Eatonton
 Elberton
 Evans
 Fountain Inn
 Gaston
 Greenwood
 Grovetown
 Hartwell
 Hephzibah
 Irmo
 Laurens
 Lexington
 Milledgeville
 Newberry
 North Augusta
 Orangeburg
 Statesboro
 Thomson
 West Columbia

Viewer Poll

What do you think about Tiger's return to golf for the Masters Tournament?

  • Too soon, he should focus on his family
  • He's apologized, it's time for him to return to the game