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Mother donates nerves to son

BALTIMORE: Nick Anderson's arm is paralysed and without feeling in places after a car accident nearly a year ago that also took one of his legs.

Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital hope a rare nerve implant on Thursday from the 19-year-old's mother will help restore use of his left hand.

"If they had a way of cutting off my arm and putting it on him, I would have done that," said Frankie Anderson, 40, who had nerve segments removed on Tuesday from each arm and leg. She will have permanent numbness in small patches on each elbow and foot.

Mr. Anderson's left arm no longer has an elbow joint, and two of the three main nerves have been severed. If the nerve segments are transplanted successfully, doctors will know in three to four months if the graft has taken hold, and in a year to 18 months if use of the arm has been regained.

In some cases, grafts can be taken from other parts of the body, but in Mr. Anderson's case, the loss of his leg meant there was not enough donor nerve to use. He will also need to take anti-rejection drugs. — AP

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