Many of us take what our limbs can do for us for granted, so when one is lost it can be a tragic event in any person’s life. With a new medical development from a Chinese hospital, however, there is now a way to let the body heal without immediate reattachment. 

When Xiao Wei lost his hand, doctors could not immediately reattach it as the arm needed more time to heal.

“Hand-reattachment surgery of this nature is rare, but it’s not unheard of, and Chinese surgeons are reportedly quite skilled in the microsurgical techniques required for full-hand reattachment,” according to io9.

To read more about Wei’s story click here (warning graphic imagery).