Boy gets double hand transplant

  • 30/07/2015
Zion Harvey (AAP)
Zion Harvey (AAP)

An eight-year-old US boy has become the youngest patient to receive a double hand transplant.

A 40-strong medical team took 11 hours to carry out the painstaking operation to attach every one of Zion Harvey's nerves and tendons, so the hands will grow with him.

Zion says he didn't really know what to expect, as he showed off his new hands at a press conference.

"I want to say to you guys, thank you for helping me through this bumpy road," he told his family.

Zion lost his hands and feet when he was two after developing a serious infection. He's also had a kidney transplant, and will have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of this life.

He says he now wants to climb on the monkey bars and hold his baby sister.

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