Making Fingers For Matthew

Matthew and Madre
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Matthew, who is 1 1/2 years old, was born with his fingers fused together. His little hand resembles a paddle, and it is almost impossible for him to grasp with it. Today, Dr. James Wallace, our trip leader, and Dr. Mario Cornejo, our local host, together performed surgery on him to seperate the first "finger", which will allow him to grasp objects. They took a skin graft from his abdomen to place between the fingers. Next year he can come back to have another procedure to release another finger.