His story commands admiration. In 1998, Félix Gretarsson, then aged 26, saw his life turned upside down on a high-voltage line in Iceland. The diagnosis is clear: to save him, both upper limbs must be amputated.
After twenty-two years of life without arms, he left his country for Lyon, convinced that French medicine could accomplish the impossible. In January 2021, at the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL), he became the first patient in the world to benefit from a complete transplant of both arms up to the shoulders.
Newfound autonomy: “I paint, I ride a bike, I scratch”
Today, Félix is no longer content to survive, he lives. During his last assessment at the Hospices Civils de Lyon, the emotion was palpable. The one we nicknamed the “Viking” has regained traction that seemed out of reach. “The donor’s arms are truly his“, note the medical teams.
Thanks to an iron will, he relearned the simple gestures of existence: brushing his teeth, gardening, or even sharing moments of complicity with his family. For Dr. Gérald Kierzek, this success is all the more remarkable because the challenge was immense. “The level of amputation is decisive here: the higher the amputation, the slower and more complex the recovery, because it depends entirely on the regrowth of the nerves.
The challenge of reinnervation: a sensitivity that returns step by step
If Félix can hold a paintbrush today, it is thanks to a titanic process of reinnervation. Unlike a prosthesis, the grafted limb must “come back to life” biologically. Dr Gérald Kierzek specifies that sensitivity is a long-term project.
“Protective sensitivity generally appears during the first year. Then, fine discrimination continues to improve over several years, even if it does not always reach that of a healthy limb.”
In Félix’s case, the trans-humeral graft (at the level of the humerus) imposes mechanical limits. Although autonomy in hygiene and eating is acquired, muscular strength remains below normal and fatigue occurs more quickly. “We often observe limited range of motion, particularly at the shoulder and elbow for these very high grafts.” emphasizes Dr. Kierzek.
Lifelong treatment, the other side of the medical scene
Behind the smiles on social networks, Félix’s daily life remains that of a heavily monitored patient. To prevent his body from rejecting these new members, he must follow strict immunosuppressive treatment. Last year, he underwent four operations to adjust the grafts.
Dr. Gérald Kierzek also points out that these operations are not “risk-free” in the long term. “Immunosuppression is lifelong and carries risks of severe infections, induced diabetes or hypertension. There is also a risk of chronic rejection which could lead to partial or complete loss of the graft.. It is a fragile balance between the immense functional benefit and the toxicity of the treatments.
“There is a before and an after Felix”
For Professor Aram Gazarian, who led the intervention, this success is a game-changer for global surgery. The Édouard Herriot hospital has established itself as the world leader in the specialty. Now, patients with very high amputations can hope for a transplant, where previously they were only offered prostheses.
However, Dr. Gérald Kierzek is cautious about the generalization of such practices. “These transplants remain extremely rare and raise ethical and resource questions. The benefit on quality of life is real but difficult to quantify universally. This is why these indications remain reserved for ultra-selected patients, endowed with exceptional motivation”.
Félix Gretarsson, through his resilience, proved that he was the ideal candidate to open this new path.