The doctors are seeking a donor for the double hand transplant of a 64-year-old Victorian man, Peter Walsh.

Peter underwent a surgery 3 years back when his hands and feet were amputated after contracting due to pneumococcal disease.

"He was a person who has previously been extremely well and physically active and is now absolutely confined to a life of total dependency where he can't eat, can't feed himself, can't dress himself, can't go to the toilet, can't change his shoes, can't pick up the telephone", said Professor Wayne Morrison, St Vincent's Hospital Plastic Surgeon.

Yearning for freedom from dependency on others, Mr. Walsh said, "I can handle the feet but hands, and it's very hard to handle hands. It's like walking around with your fists closed".

The team of surgeons from the O'Brien Institute has been looking for a suitable donor.

After the transplantation, Mr. Walsh would be given anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life.

But, as the drugs would cost not lesser than $30,000 a year, so, Daniel Andrews, the Victorian Health Minister, is looking forward to request the state government to help the cost.

Prof. Morrison said that about 50 dual hand transplants have been performed over the past one decade in Europe and the United States, with excellent results.