Cortical motor activation patterns following hand transplantation and replantation.
We studied cortical activation patterns by functional MRI in a patient who received bilateral hand transplantation after amputation 6 years ago. In the early post-operative period, the patient who had had the hand transplantation revealed strong activation of a higher motor area, only weak activation of the primary sensorimotor motor cortex and no activation of the primary somatosensory cortex. At one-year follow-up, a small increase in primary sensorimotor motor cortex activation was observed. Activation of the primary somatosensory cortex was only seen at the 2-year follow-up. Transplantation after long-standing amputation results in cortical reorganisation occurring over a two-year period.
Piza-Katzer
H
H
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria. hildegunde.piza@i-med.ac.at
Brenneis
C
C
Löscher
W N
WN
Benke
T
T
Schocke
M
M
Gabl
M F
MF
Wechselberger
G
G
Hussl
H
H
Margreiter
R
R
D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000601:surgery; D054042:Bombs; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063987:Hand Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009068:Movement; D012092:Replantation; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors