World's first full-face transplant

The ethics committee of the UK' s National Health Service (NHS) has cleared the way for the world's first full face transplant.

Plastic surgeon Peter Butler
Plastic surgeon Peter Butler

The decision is raising the hopes of around 30 people who are prepared to undergo the procedure.

Plastic surgeon Peter Butler and the transplantation team at London’s Royal Free Hospital, have studied the possibility of total face replacement surgery for several years. Now, following the committee’s approval, he said the most important part of the process is now beginning: selection of the patients. Many of the candidates have already suffered up to 70 reconstructive surgeries. Only four will be selected for a full-face transplant. Part of their assessment includes their ability to cope psychologically.

Although during surgery on the donor, the skin, underlying fat, eight blood vessels, four arteries and four veins will be removed, for reconnection to the recipient, computer modelling, carried out by Peter Butler, has shown that, due to different facial shape and bone structure, the patient will not look like the donor.

The first operation is expected to take place ‘within months’, the others at six month intervals.

16.11.2006

Related articles

Photo

Article • Transplantation

Organ donation in Germany - the gruelling fight for trust

Whilst Spain has announced a new record for organ donations the number in Germany is stabilising at a ‘low level’. The good news? The number did not fall any further following scandals…

Photo

Article •

Organ donation

Rumour had it for a while, and many found out when the bomb was finally dropped at, of all places, the Congress of the International Transplantation Society, held in Berlin this July – the waiting…

Photo

Article •

The state of play in EU States

Waiting lists for organ transplants are lengthening in most European countries, forcing the need to increase donations higher up the medical and political agenda, Mark Nicholls reports.
Spain…

Related products

Subscribe to Newsletter