Psychological Effects of Hand Transplantation

Abstract

This chapter describes observations during the treatment of two transplanted subjects after the onset of a psychotherapeutic relationship and after having built an adequate setting in which to explore the internal subjective dynamics. The remarks are not only limited to the simple illustration of their psychological manifestations as a result of the transplantation, but they are also extended to their experience and the counter tranference of the staff members. An ad hoc setting was created to contain nursing and rehabilitative activities of the various postoperative phases. Particular care was taken to define a flexible rehabilitative therapeutic context that could be modulated over time. The functions of the clinical psychologist were differentiated into three parts:

• 1. Testing investigations

• 2. Observation of what happened in terms of relationships with the nursing and physiotherapeutic teams

• 3. Active psychological, clinical and psychotherapeutic intervention.