Double-Arm Transplant Recipient Moves Fingers: Video

The Icelandic man, Guðmundur Felix Grétarson, who in January became the first patient in the world to undergo transplant surgery of both arms and shoulders, posted a video on Facebook Wednesday, showing incredible progress, mbl.is reports.

He even manages to slightly move the fingers of his right hand — something that wasn’t expected to be possible until more than a year from now.

It’s been nine months since the 14-hour transplant operation, performed at Edouard Herriot hospital in Lyon, France. Guðmundur lost both arms in a work-related accident in Iceland in January of 1998, at the age of 26, in which he received a major electric shock while repairing a high voltage power line.

It was originally believed the nerves would grow by one millimeter a day, meaning it would take a year from the operation for the nerves to reach his elbows and two years to reach his fingers.

His progress, though, is way ahead of schedule, especially in the right arm, for in the video, Guðmundur is able to pick up pieces of a clementine with the fingers of his right hand and put them in his mouth.

See for yourself: