A Very Handy First Transplant

After an extreme case of gout the lucky Mark Cahill, 51, became the first person in the UK to have a hand transplant.
Doctors at the Leeds General Infirmary report that good progress was made during the eight-hour operation. The pioneering surgery, to which the 51 year-old volunteered after deciding against a bionic hand, mapped nerves to insure hopeful movement and sensation. Progress so far indicates Mr Cahill is able to wiggle his fingers.
The surgery involved the amputating of the donor hand by one of the two surgical teams and the transplanting of the hand by the other.
Professor Simon Kay of Leeds General Infirmary, a consultant plastic surgeon, headed up the surgery noting how it was "extremely challenging".
The difficulty of finding the correct patient participant was finding their physical and psychological eligibility for the surgery. With the possibility of the hand just being a dead weight, the surgical team did not want a reaccurance of a case involving Clint Hallam, a New Zealander who had his transplanted hand removed after he said he felt "mentally detached".
In preparation for the surgery, the surgical team contacted experts from around the world asking for advice. Teams from France, who pioneered the first hand transplant in 1998, were key in this process.
Professor Norman Williams, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "This is yet another example of life-changing surgical advancements that are not possible." Later adding "care always ned to be taken in choosing suitable patients who understand the risks and benefits."

Norovirus Cases "top a million"

The highly contagious Norovirus, the Winter Vomiting Bug, has made it annual return in a dramatic fashion.
Compared to 2011's statistics, there has been an increase of 83% in cases, according to the Health Protection Agency, HPA.
Cases were predicted to be growing in number into the new year, however it appears that NHS is handling it well. Compared to the 2.9% of beds closed last year due to the Norovirus, only 2.4% remain closed. Additionally, no Accident & Emergency centres been forced to close.
With the increase in cases it has become increasingly imperative the public become aware of the transmission of the virus; the HPA report, as of the 16 December, for every 3,538 laboratory-confirmed cases 288 go unconfirmed.
The transmission of the virus is through contaminated objects and and surfaces, water and food. John Harris, an expert on the Norovirus from the HPA advised the washing of hands and, if found with the virus, staying away from hospitals, schools, care-homes or anywhere prone of outbreak. Specifically, anywhere "which may cause severe disruption".