(ANSA) - Bologna, October 15 - Doctors at Bologna's Rizzoli
Orthopedic Institute said Tuesday that they successfully
performed the transplant of a section of a human spine in a
world first.
On September 6 the team led by Dr Alessandro Gasbarrini
replaced four vertebrae in a 77-year-old patient with bone
cancer with a section held in an Emilia-Romagna muscle-bone
tissue bank.
"He has been discharged.
"He was with us for about a month.
"After two weeks of post-operation checks he was transferred
to another department for physiotherapy and there he was put
back on his feet and in a condition to have a life that is as
normal as possible.
"When he was up to it, he went back to be with his loved
ones".
Section of human spine transplanted in world first
Operation on 77-year-old cancer patient in Bologna