Kenyan Surgeons Perform the World’s First Transhumeral: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has made history by successfully performing the world’s first Transhumeral Targeted Sensory Reinnervation (TSR) surgery, a groundbreaking procedure aimed at restoring sensation to the stump of an amputated left arm.
This innovative surgery was conducted on April 29, 2025, on 22-year-old Moses Mwendwa, a software engineering student.
Mwendwa lost his arm due to compartment syndrome after falling down the stairs in January.
However, he regained hope at KNH’s pioneering TSR Camp, which was Africa’s first event of its kind.
In a statement, KNH announced, “We have performed the world’s first Transhumeral Targeted Sensory Reinnervation (TSR) surgery on Moses Mwendwa, restoring sensation in his missing left hand!
This groundbreaking seven-hour procedure reroutes nerves to create a ‘sensory map,’ enabling touch perception and improved control of a prosthetic limb.”
Mwendwa expressed his emotions during a press briefing, saying, “Feeling my hand again is magic.”
The procedure was performed by a skilled medical team, including Prof. Ferdinand Nang’ole (Consultant Plastic Surgeon, KNH/UoN), Dr. Benjamin Wabwire (Head of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, KNH), and Prof. Alexander Gardetto (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Specialist from Italy).
They were supported by Dr. Dorsi Jowi, a consultant plastic surgeon at KNH; Dr. Christine Nyabuto, chief resident in plastic surgery at the University of Nairobi; and Dr. Rachel Machiya, a resident orthopaedic surgeon also from the University of Nairobi.
Dr. Wabwire emphasised that this achievement goes beyond a mere medical breakthrough; it represents a restoration of dignity, function, and hope. “By creating this neural hand map, we’re changing what’s possible for amputees,” he stated.
KNH CEO Dr. Evanson Kamuri praised the medical team’s accomplishment: “This reaffirms our commitment to strategic partnerships and demonstrates that KNH is home to world-class professionals and cutting-edge technology.”
Mwendwa’s journey began after he fell following a church service in Nairobi’s Ziwani area, leading to a severe condition caused by increased pressure in the muscle compartments.
After inconclusive diagnoses at two other facilities, he was rushed to KNH, where doctors performed emergency surgeries that ultimately resulted in the amputation of his dominant arm on January 24.
The emotional toll on Moses and his family was immense, requiring weeks of grief and adjustment.
