A Concord mother who survived a shark attack underwent a revolutionary procedure on her amputated arm.
Tiffany Johnson was snorkeling in the Bahamas earlier this month when a shark bit down on her right arm. Surgeons in the Bahamas were able to do an initial operation before she was transported back to North Carolina.
Doctors Glenn Gaston and Bryan Loeffler performed a new procedure called 'targeted muscle reinnervation.'
"We take the nerves that were destined to the part of the hand or the part of the arms that is amputated and we route it to remaining muscles in the forearm," Loeffler said. "Now instead of the muscle in the hand contracting or activating, it'll now activate a muscle in the forearm."
The muscle movements can be picked up by skin sensors tied to a prosthetic device. The surgery can also help lessen the pain for amputees.
"One of the great advances of this surgery is that it really helps to cut down on something called phantom pain," Loeffler said.
For Johnson, it’s no coincidence there are doctors who perform the procedure close to home.
"I have been able to reach so many people, tell about God's love, show them that it's OK, when you go through stuff, God’s still with you and show what a miracle-making God we have," Johnson said.
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