Augusta man's body may be rejecting double hand transplant

By Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An Augusta man -- the nation’s first double hand transplant -- is showing signs his body is rejecting the appendages, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

Jeff Kepner is being treated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where the transplant was performed last year. His wife told the newspaper her husband seems to be responding to treatments that started on Tuesday.

Kepner, 57, lost his hands and feet almost 10 years ago because of a bacterial infection. Donor limbs were attached to his forearms last May 4.

According to Kepner’s wife, Valerie, doctors said a “reddish type rash” that appeared last week was sign her husband’s body was rejecting the transplanted hands.

"It is something that they expect will happen within the first year,” Valarie Kepner told the newspaper "Things are progressing as they have expected in responding to that treatment. So, things seem to be going well at this point."