Vascular anomalies is one of the longest running, truly multidisciplinary services at The Royal Children’s Hospital. In over thirty years that the clinic has been active there has been an explosion in our knowledge of the genetic causes of vascular lesions, which has led directly to new drug treatments.
Hand transplantation is a technique to reconstruct absent and functionless upper limbs using cadaveric donor limbs.
In the 20 years since the world’s first hand transplant, the technique has developed into a reliable and valuable option for carefully selected adult amputees. The downside is the need for immunosuppression with its inherent risks (metabolic, infective, neoplastic, and renal impairment) for the duration of the transplant.
A vision of how an excellent clinical unit can grow into an academic department that can benefit children with congenital deformities through clinical research, basic science and teaching and bring science to the practice of surgery at RCH
