First Facial Transplant Operation Successful
Images of the Nicolas Cage - John Travolta movie, Face Off, come to mind when news of the world’s first facial transplant’s success was released. However, unlike the full face reconstruction that was done in the movie, the French woman who underwent the five hour operation had replacement done partially on her face, specifically, the nose, lips and chin, which were mangled by a dog attack.
BBC discusses the moral, ethical and psychological dilemmas that come with the facial transplant, a procedure that US and UK surgeons are capable of doing and yet are reluctant to go in to.
One of the reasons for this reluctance is the source of the facial transplant. Aside from ascertaining that the source is a legitimate one, the source must come from a beating heart donor. Therefore, a full organ donor patient must undergo the surgery of having the facial skin removed before any life support is cut off.
Another is the physical impact on the patient, whose risks for cancer will increase, as well as the possible rejection that organ recipients must face.
To view the first public appearance of the first facial transplant recipient, please visit BBC on YouTube
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