article_snippet: The pictures, left and right, show the veins and blood vessels The pictures, left and right connected . '
article_snippet: Professor André van der Merwe, who led the operation on December 11 last year, had spent years experimenting on cadavers to see which nerves, blood vessels and other elements had to be joined to guarantee full functioning.
article_snippet: After extensive research Professor van der Merwe and Merwe surgical team decided to use techniques developed for the first facial transplant. '
highlights_snippet: Nerves and blood vessels were connected by a team of surgeons .
  