World's First Full-Face Transplant

[scotpens]

Not long ago, this was the stuff of sci-fi and horror movies. Now it's being done for real.

http://www.latimes.com/sns-ap-eu-med-spain-face-transplant,0,38238.story

In a word: Amazing!

 

[diankra]

Well, it is still the stuff of science fiction in the way that sci-fi movies/TV present it.
Currently, it's a way of geting severely injoured people get halfway back to normal life - so long as they keep taking the immuno-suppresant drugs that are still necessary for the transplant not to be rejected.

 

[John Picard]

Well, it is still the stuff of science fiction in the way that sci-fi movies/TV present it.
Currently, it's a way of getting severely injured people get halfway back to normal life - so long as they keep taking the immuno-suppressant drugs that are still necessary for the transplant not to be rejected.

The long-term goal of this is to be able to engineer and grow new bone and tissue from the injured person and rebuild the missing/damaged area. The learning from this will benefit future recipients.

 

[Deckerd]

The Chinese have been doing quite a few of these too. Of course the French claim the credit for being the first to do it at all. I hope this can be used for that poor woman who had her face torn off by a chimp.

 

[caisson2delta]

Maybe Mickey Rourke could benefit from this as well.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Well, it is still the stuff of science fiction in the way that sci-fi movies/TV present it.

Indeed. The look of a person's face depends largely on the bone structure of the skull and the muscles surrounding it. You can't transplant one face onto another's head, since it won't "fit".

 

[Deckerd]

Well, it is still the stuff of science fiction in the way that sci-fi movies/TV present it.

Indeed. The look of a person's face depends largely on the bone structure of the skull and the muscles surrounding it. You can't transplant one face onto another's head, since it won't "fit".

You obviously didn't watch the animation in the link. The bone structure of the nose and upper and lower jaws were transplanted as well.

 

[John Picard]

Well, it is still the stuff of science fiction in the way that sci-fi movies/TV present it.

Indeed. The look of a person's face depends largely on the bone structure of the skull and the muscles surrounding it. You can't transplant one face onto another's head, since it won't "fit".

You obviously didn't watch the animation in the link. The bone structure of the nose and upper and lower jaws were transplanted as well.

Correct. The surgeons become literal bodymen, in that they have to form and shape the bone to work. This is like cases I've read about where the surgeon shapes a rib bone in order to patch a damaged area on a person's body.

 

[Amaris]

Incredible! Sometimes the world of medicine just completely astounds me.

 

[John Picard]

He just left the hospital today. WOW!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/healthsurgeryfacetransplantspain

 

[scotpens]

He just left the hospital today. WOW!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/healthsurgeryfacetransplantspain

Different patient. The man in the linked article had been disfigured by neurofibromatosis and received a partial face transplant. The one mentioned at the top of the thread had his face blasted away in a shotgun accident.

 

[John Picard]

He just left the hospital today. WOW!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/healthsurgeryfacetransplantspain

Different patient. The man in the linked article had been disfigured by neurofibromatosis and received a partial face transplant. The one mentioned at the top of the thread had his face blasted away in a shotgun accident.

That's what I thought, but I guess the fact that it was in Spain tripped me up. Good catch.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I swear I saw a lady on the news half a year or more ago who had gotten one, and I seem to vaguely recall she was supposed to be the "first", too. Certain looked odd on her, but I assume it would settle and get better later like any other topical work.

 

[John Picard]

I swear I saw a lady on the news half a year or more ago who had gotten one, and I seem to vaguely recall she was supposed to be the "first", too. Certain looked odd on her, but I assume it would settle and get better later like any other topical work.

That was the woman in France, who was mauled by her dog. Her nose, lips, and part of her cheeks were damaged. The big "strike" against her is that she won't give up smoking, which can wreak havoc with the anti-rejection drugs.

 

[scotpens]

The big “strike” against her is that she won't give up smoking, which can wreak havoc with the anti-rejection drugs.

Well, what do you expect? She's French!