Also in July, a German farmer who lost his arms in an accident underwent a life-changing surgery. Karl Merk, 54, was successfully fitted with two new limbs in what is believed to be the first double arm transplant. It took five teams of medical professionals and more than 15 hours to carry out the operation at the Munich University Clinic in Germany. Merk said that when he first woke up, he could not believe it had been carried off successfully. "It was really overwhelming when I saw that I had arms again," he said. So far, Merk can perform simple tasks with his new arms and hands - using them to open doors and turn lights on and off. It could take up to two years before his hands become totally usable.