Second Hand Man
Clint Hallam, a charismatic 49-year-old, lost his right hand in an accident 15 years ago. Since then, he dreamed of being able to play the piano with two hands once again.
Last September in Lyons, France, Hallam became the first human to undergo a hand transplant. CBS News' 48 Hours examines what happens when cutting-edge medical technology gets mixed up with stubborn human nature.
An international team of doctors attached a donor hand to the end of Clint's stump. The donor hand came from the body of a French motorcyclist killed in an accident.
But as Clint, his wife, their four children, and the team of doctors waited to see whether the operation will succeed, a series of revelations about Clint come to light.
| Find out more about this incredible procedure from handtransplant.org, a site created by the doctors who in December performed the first American hand transplant. |
Hallam also hid the fact that he is facing new fraud charges in Australia, for allegedly running a pyramid scheme that bilked investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Despite all this, Hallam made excellent progress with his new hand. He was due to go back to Australia to face the charges. But Australian officials apparently wanted nothing to do with him. They dropped the charges, but also refused to let him into the country. Clint had a new hand, but no country.
At this point, he disappeared, a move that scared his doctors and his family: If he stopped taking the drugs to suppress his immune system, his body would reject his hand. And if he took too many of the powerful, toxic drugs, he could end up doing even more harm.
In the following months, Hallam wandered the world. Finally, in March, the Australian government let him back into his country - but on a very short leash. He is home on a special visa, and it is not clear how long he can stay.
His new hand is still attached to his arm, but he cannot do very much with it. He admits that he hasn't had real physical therapy since he left France in January. And the drugs that suppress his immune system appear to be damaging his body. He has diabetes, which his doctor says is probably caused by one of the immunosuppressive drugs, prednisolone.
Recently, he got even more alarming news: He now has a dangerous kidney conditon. Hallam's fragile health raises questions again about whether such nonessential transplants are ethical.
In contrast, the first American to have a hand transplant, Matthew Scott, is doing extremely well. He has followed his doctor's orders very closely and is now using his hand for almost all daily activities.
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Produced by David Kohn