November 8, 2011, Vol. 58 No. 11
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Tuesday November 8, 2011 Volume 58 Number 11 www.upenn.edu/almanac First Bilateral Hand Transplant in the Region Performed at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania For the first time in the Delaware Valley Re- the Penn Hand Transplant Program, chairman of are completed, surgeons reattach nerves before gion, a patient has undergone a complex and in- the department of orthopaedic surgery (Alma- the final careful closing of the skin occurs. tricate bilateral hand transplant that could sig- nac September 9, 2009), the Paul. B. Magnuson After surgery, hand transplant patients are nificantly enhance the quality-of-life for per- Professor of Bone and Joint Surgery, and pro- prescribed daily immunosuppressant medi- sons with multiple limb loss. The procedure was fessor of surgery (division of plastic surgery). cations to prevent their bodies from rejecting performed by Penn’s Hand Transplant Program “As a top academic medical center, we have the new limbs, which are then followed-up by (Almanac December 21, 2010)—which oper- the range of expertise required to perform these months, perhaps years of rigorous physical ther- ates under the leadership of the Penn Transplant complex procedures involving multiple, inter- apy to regain hand function and use. Physicians Institute and in collaboration with Gift of Life acting structures and systems in the body,” add- expect that patients compliant with follow-up Donor Program, the nonprofit organ and tissue ed Benjamin Chang, co-director of Penn’s Hand care will see significant improvement in func- donor program which serves the eastern half of Transplant Program, program director and asso- tion within the first year after the initial surgery. Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Dela- ciate chief of the division of plastic surgery and In contrast to the requirements of identifying ware. The highly-trained team’s first bilateral associate professor of clinical surgery. “We will a solid organ donor, selecting a donor for hand hand transplant was performed in September. At continue our three-pronged mission of striving transplants involves additional matching crite- this time, the patient—a young woman in her for clinical, educational and research excellence ria such as gender, ethnicity, race, skin color and 20s—is progressing well and both the patient in VCA which will help many amputees.” tone, and size. These procedures raise difficult and donor family wish to remain anonymous. Double hand transplantation is a complex and novel ethical challenges. Respect for donors Working closely with their partners at Gift procedure that involves surgical and non-sur- and their families and careful selection of recip- of Life Donor Program, a team of 30 mem- gical components. First, the proposed recipi- ients along with commitment to informed con- bers—12 surgeons, three anesthesiologists and ent must undergo extensive medical screen- sent are essential. 15 nurses—performed the 11-and-one-half hour ings and evaluations before surgery. During “For 37 years, Gift of Life Donor Pro- procedure, which is Penn’s first venture into the the surgery, the hands and forearms from a do- gram has partnered with the transplant centers emerging field of Vascularized Composite Allo- nor are attached which includes connecting throughout this region to bring innovative trans- transplantation (VCA). The team included ex- bone, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, tendons plant procedures to patients in need,” said Rich- perts in solid organ transplantation, orthopaedic and skin. First, the forearm bones—the radius ard Hasz, vice president of clinical services for surgery, plastic surgery, reconstructive micro- and ulna—are connected with steel plates and Gift of Life. “As with all types of transplant, surgery, and anesthesia. screws. Next, the arteries and veins are attached surgeries such as this one could not take place “At Penn, we have the level of surgical and via delicate microvascular surgical techniques. without the generosity of a donor and a donor academic expertise required to not only offer Once blood flow is established through the re- family. We thank them for their selflessness and complicated VCA procedures, but also the ca- connected blood vessels, surgeons repair each for their gift that made this surgery possible.” pabilities to help establish the standards for this muscle individually and rejoin tendons to mus- “Reconstructive VCA surgeries are the emerging field,” said L. Scott Levin, director of cles, one-by-one. After the muscles and tendons new frontier of surgical transplantation and the results are very promising,” said Abraham New Endowed Chairs at Penn Nursing Shaked, director of Penn’s Transplant Institute, Four professors at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Julie A. Fairman, Barbara vice chairman of the department of surgery, and J. Riegel, Martha A.Q. Curley, and Eun-Ok Im, have been appointed as endowed chairs. the Eldridge L. Eliason Professor of Surgery. Dr. Fairman has been appointed as the Night- “Our decades of experience in solid organ trans- ingale Professor in Nursing. She is a nurse his- plantation can successfully be applied to Vas- torian whose work on the history of 20th centu- cularized Composite Allotransplantation and ry healthcare has yielded a consistent stream of we’re prepared to continue moving ahead with funding and whose work on the history of critical the major advancement in the care of patients in care earned her awards from the American Asso- need of limb transplantation.” ciation of the History of Nursing. Dr. Fairman’s For now, the Penn Hand Transplant Program research addresses the relationship between gen- will only perform bilateral transplants, particu- der, nursing and technology and the history of the larly treating quadramembral amputees. “Some- social construction of professional boundaries. one who has had both arms and legs amputated The Nightingale Professor in Nursing Chair is completely and totally dependent,” said Dr. honors all nurses who served their country dur- Levin. The most basic functions of life are virtu- ing times of war, and is dedicated to the memory ally impossible to perform such as locomotion, Julie Fairman of those who died. Barbara Riegel eating, personal grooming and hygiene. It’s our Dr. Riegel has been appointed as the Edith goal at Penn Medicine for our multi-disciplinary Clemmer Steinbright Chair of Gerontology. Dr. team to work seamlessly together in the field of Riegel’s scholarship focuses on the growing ep- VCA so we can successfully treat these patients idemic of heart failure which remains the most —from victims of trauma or infection, to war common cardiac diagnosis in elders and one of veterans—and give them their lives back.” the major reasons for hospital readmissions. Dr. Riegel’s work has advanced knowledge about the IN THIS ISSUE management of patients with heart failure and has 2 Senate: SEC Agenda; Trustees’ Stated Meeting Coverage; Death: Dr. Schnaufer contributed to the national guidelines that have 3 Power Down Challenge; Staff Appointments; changed the care provided to more than one mil- Safe Driving lion Americans. 4 Council: State of the University The Edith Clemmer Steinbright Chair of Ger- 6 Volunteer Opportunities; HR: Commitment to Excellence, Fall 5K Walk; LRSM Science Cafes; ontology was established by Marilyn Steinbright One Step Ahead: Security & Privacy Tip in memory of her mother, Edith, who “made a dif- Martha Curley Eun-Ok Im 7 Thanksgiving Break Safety Checks; Update; (continued on page 2) CrimeStats; Penn’s Way 8 Bednarik Statue to be Unveiled November 19 ALMANAC November 8, 2011 www.upenn.edu/almanac 1 SENATE From the Senate Office Death Dr. Schnaufer, Pediatrics The following agenda is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Dr. Louise Schnaufer, professor emeritus Any member of the standing faculty may attend SEC meetings and observe. of pediatric surgery in the School of Medicine, Questions may be directed to Sue White, executive assistant to the Senate Office passed away October 14 at age 86. either by telephone at (215) 898-6943, or by email at [email protected] Born in Maryland, Dr. Schnaufer earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology in 1947 from Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda Wellesley College and a medical degree from Wednesday, November 16, 2011 the former Women’s Medical College of Penn- sylvania (MCP) in 1951. She completed her in- Room 205, College Hall, 3–5 p.m. ternship and residency at Union Memorial Hos- pital in Baltimore, where she was also the hospi- 1. Approval of the Minutes of October 5, 2011 (2 minutes) tal’s first female chief surgical resident. 2. Chair’s Report (5 minutes) Also a pediatric surgeon at The Children’s 3. Past-Chair’s Report on Academic Planning and Budget & Capital Council (3 minutes) Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Dr. Schnaufer 4. Discussion with Penn’s Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli (45 minutes) was appointed to the Penn faculty in 1971 as an University Response to the Economic Climate assistant professor. She was promoted to associ- 5. Ballot: Nominating Committee Chair (5 minutes) ate professor in 1976 and then full professor in 6. Discussion of questions for the December SEC speakers: 1989. She was accorded emeritus status in 2000 President Amy Gutmann and Vice Provost for Education Andy Binns (10 minutes) and retired two years later. In 1993, Dr. Schnaufer was honored with the 7. Discussion on the academic calendar (15 minutes) surgical residents’ faculty teaching award, and Vice Provost for Education Andy Binns that same year her alma mater, MCP, presented 8. Discussion and response to the presentation on the her with its alumnae achievement award. She was Penn Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence (30 minutes) also a recipient of the American Academy of Pe- 9. New Business diatrics’ Arnold M. Salzberg Award, which recog- nizes outstanding mentorship of pediatric surgical trainees.