Abstract
In 1995, seven men from Iraq had their right hands surgically amputated under the regime of Saddam Hussein. The men have lived with the shame, that is associated with missing a right hand in their culture, since that time. Recently, the media and a team of health care providers collaborated to bring these seven men to Houston, Texas, for surgical revisions, prosthetic hands, and occupational therapy services. The preprosthetic, interim-prosthetic, and postprosthetic interventions are discussed, as well as the typical time frames for each. This case report outlines the time restrictions that were placed on the health care team and demonstrates the continuous collaborative approach between occupational therapists, prosthetists, and other health care professionals, which contributed to the initial successful outcomes for these men.
