The first live hamstring transplant in Europe – in which a mother donated her tendon to repair her injured daughter’s knee – has been performed by British surgeons. The success of the operation paves the way for a new approach to treating the common problem of damaged knees. Erin Howett, 11, injured her knee during a skiing session on a dream family holiday to Lapland in 2011. ‘At first we weren’t too worried,’ says her mother Penny, 37. ‘Erin has a high pain threshold and was happy to ski again straight away once the medics had checked her over. She was limping a bit, but not in distress.’
@highlight
Erin Howett, 11, injured her knee while skiing in Lapland in 2011
@highlight
Her mother Penny, 37, donated her hamstring for the operation
@highlight
Thanks to Penny, surgeons were able to repair Erin's torn ligament
Erin Howett
Erin
Erin Howett
Erin
It was packaged up and immediately transferred to the adjacent theatre to be transplanted into @placeholder.