, 1886-04-23
A NEW ARM FOR A Man,
-"
A SURGICAL oPER4Tlon THAT Will
PROBABLY PROVE SUCCESSFUL
A Case of Exceeding misunderstanding
n Large Surface of Exposed Flesh with
InLu.L ~ n

A Case of Exceeding misunderstanding
#. Large Surface Of Exposed Fls.h with
Pieces Cut from Various Parts of the
PATIENT. Boxy. y LNOK Z
IA surgical operation Of exceeding inter.
est il being performed at the Hahnemann
hospitalA Ittisl one of those cases that
can not-be nnished At a single sitting, hut
which must be carried through various
stages In n progressive way from the be-
ginning 70 the end, It was begun about
three weeks ago. and from the present
medical Indications there is little doubt
that the result desired viii be attained.
The patient Is Christopher Doh, a Ger
man 81 years old. He received his in
jury accidentally He was extremely
fond OF smoking a pipe. One evening
about nine months ago he was enjoying a
quiet smoke in his room, and while read
ing fell asleep. In some way the pipe.
which he still held In his mouth, was
overturned, and the hot ashes fell from
the bowl upon his shirt sleeves and set 1t
on fire. 1t ~smoldered for q time, and
burned several small holes In the sleeve,
and then II burst into a flame and the
sleeper was aroused. The fire had reached
his flesh, and he tore at the burning cloth
madly. He rolled over on the floor. and
finally the flame was e~xtinguishrd. His
right arm from the waist TO the shoulder
was terribly burned. and II looked as II the
flesh could be scraped from the bone with
out trouble. The pain was intense, and
from the nature of the wound 1t appeared
as II the arm would ave TO be amputtted
close TO the shoulder. Private medical
treatment was tried for a time, but as IL
did not accomplish any material benefit
Doll went to a hospital. He remained un-
der constant care for two months.
LARGE SURFACE OF RxPosED FLESH
By this time the forearm had healed,
leaving a frightful scar, with the cicatri-
cial tissue drawing in every direction.
Despite the most perseyering treatment
the upper portion of the arm from the
elbow to the shoulder could not be healed.
The patient went 10 several hospitals, but
could get no relief. There was such a
large surface of exposed flesh In the wound
that the pus formation was unusually
large, and the antiseptic precautions which
were taken did not prevent the absorption
of the poisonous matter into the patients
system. Thus a dangerous condition OF
blood-poisonlng was set up. He grew pale
and ~emnciated, lost his strength and
courage, and when he was admitted to the
Hahnemann hospital. about two months
ago, he was a living skeleton, with hardly
muscular power enough left to raise his
hand. i
As soon as he was admitted measures
were taken to stamp out the blood conta-
mination, which were eventually success
full, and the patient began TO re
cover strength When he got strong enough
and his body was sufficiently free from the
incidental disease, 1t was determined by
the attending rye to make a new sp-
per arm from the flesh OF the patients
body, and to heal up the wound by cover
ing IL over with healthy tissue. At first
small pieces of flesh were taken from var
ious parts OF his body and placed in differ
emit spots upon the raw shoulder rs a
matter Of experiment, to determine
whether the flesh could be successfully
grated. The experiment was successful.
The little pieces Of flesh and skin united
and made little GASES ON the diseased
shoulder. These minor operations were
performed several days apart, and without
the use Of OF any other than a local
anesthetic. Everything had gone on so
well that about ten days ago 1t was determ-
fned TO begin the more important part
of the operation, which consisted in cover
ing mp a large portion OF the arm at one
time with flesh t.f y a s
now II ARM WAS PATCHED.
The patient was first put under the in
iuence OF an anmsthetic. Then all the
cicatrlcial tissue upon the upper arm WIS
scraped with a knife until 1t bled profusely
and was entirely raw. While the arm was
held away from the body two incisions We're
made about three inches apart running up
ward from the small ribs for about seven
inches. At the lower end of these missions
a crosscut was made, and then the strip OF
flesh was dissected mp from the ribs the
full length Of the i~ncision. making a large
flap. This was left united at the upper
end Then the patients arm was brought
close to his side, and this loose flap was laid
over on the raw flesh on the arm and
carefully pressed and fitted into position.
When this had been done there was still a
large section of the upper baek arm re-
manning uncovered. Two incisions were
again made similar to the first two, run
ming up and down the upper portion of the
side Of the back The flesh was thick at
this point, and permitted n free dissection
While the upturned flesh was yet palpitat-
ing with the heart Influence, it was put
over the bleeding surface of the arm and
fitted into place. Then the two flaps were
securely fastened into position by long
bands OF stieking-plaster. while larger
bands were run over the lower portion OF
the arm and around the abdomen and back,
and interlaced 50 that all motion of the
arm was stopped. After the whole wound
had been covered with an antiseptic dress
ing, the ether cone was taken off the pa
TENTS face, and he soon recovered con-
seriousness He suffered little from shock
and the hemorrhage was comparatively
slight.
The arm was kept securely fastened to
his side for a week, and the wound was
carefully dressed every day. At first it
was not thought that the flesh from the
side would adhere 10 the flesh on the arm
but after two days 1t took a firm hold and
grew as II it belonged there. and little
shoots OF new iesh branched out In every
direction Two days ago the ends uniting
the two flaps to the body were severed, the
loose portions were drawn around the
under side of the arm, the edges trimmed
so as TO make a perfect 1T, and were then
united with sultures. In continuing the
operation IL viii be necessary to alter the
shape Of the flaps In some places. Only a
little sloughlng has taken place, and this
has had no injurious effect. Tho arm now
presents a comparatively natural appear
ance. The biceps muscle will be somewhat
restricted until 1t gets used to the new Gov
ering, and then IL VIII move as freely as
ever. The patient "a physically strong. and
since the pain subsidized in his arm has i'm
proved perceptibly. and the prospects are
that he viii be able TO leave the hospital in
about q week with y new arm.-New York
Tribune.
WIN Not ssu Ont Ch.ap.