Medical Marvels---The Face Transplant
Posted: Wednesday, May 06, 2009
by Sandra E. Graham
My Books and Articles
Ten years ago a beautiful nine-year-old girl in India was pulled by her hair braid into a glass-cutting machine. Her entire face was amputated before the machine could be shut down and the little girl removed. She arrived at the hospital barely clinging to life with her face in a plastic bag.
Although they expected that it would take a miracle to save this little girl's face, the doctors knew that there could be no recourse but to do everything in their power to do what they could. Unknowingly, these doctors were about to make history. With thoughts only of saving a beautiful little girl, they performed the first ever-complete face replant. Today that same girl is a slightly scarred but still beautiful practicing nurse.
Partial facial transplants have been done for several years, but to date only four nearly complete facial transplants have been completed in the world-two in France, one in China and now one in the United States. The first in the United States was performed in Cleveland , Ohio on December 10, 2008 . A woman who was shot in the face by her husband in 2004 received an 80 percent facial transplant. Connie Culp's identity had been keep secret until today. She was a patient at the same clinic that is treating Charla Nash who was attacked by her friends pet Chimpanzee last February. Click the following link to see Connie Culp's before and after surgery success story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hlm8wBCTRx1lEA_AhoW3RNq2DsSQ
Major concerns of nearly complete facial transplants are clotting of blood vessels in donor tissue, the immunosuppressant drugs could fail causing the donor tissue to be rejected, and the increased risk of cancer in the patient. Rejection of a facial transplant is much more dangerous for the patient than say a hand transplant, which can be removed without major risk. There are ethical and moral issues as well, since donor tissue must come from a beating heart donor-for instance, someone who is brain dead.
Some moral questions that come to mind immediately at the thought of a nearly or total face transplant. The idea that a person's face is the core of that person's identity and how will family members of the donor feel about the donor's face being removed and placed on a living person? Will the person take on the appearance of the donor? Doctors say there is no risk of the patient acquiring the appearance of the donor, because bone structure would change the shape of the received tissue.
We are in the age of medical miracles and with each new discovery, there will be questions and concerns about just how far we can go before crossing the boundaries that define just what is moral and what is not. Progress requires risks and we will have to ask ourselves, "Are we prepared to take those risks?"
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)Great article. Well done.I was following all the face transplant stories in New Scientist. But each time I read about great breakthroughs in science my list of people to strangle grows. Amazingly people can be against face transplants.But that is because I am a man of science and a - to reference Star Trek - Vulcan.Thanks for reading and commenting, Connor.Have a good week-end.Sandra
Sandra thank you for writing this article. What was indeed a medical miracle.Very interesting read.Have a wonderful day.Best regards,NenitaThanks for reading and commenting, Nenita.Sandra
Great article. How terrible these tragedies are.JJ
I liked this article.Samuel S.
Great article. Terrible tragedy to happen to such a beautiful woman--or anyone for that matter.Jaimie
Face transplant? Who'd a thunk it? Thanks for the interesting article.Medicine is making great strides every day. Some day there may be a cure for cancer, swine flu, and better yet, the common cold.Thanks for reading and commenting, Jeff.Sandra
Ms. Sandra,This is a wonderful write! Filled with such inspiration and motivation, this is a splendid addition to the Warp. Thanks for sharing this with us.Thanks, Ronyae.Have a great day.Sandra
This is totally amazing, Sandra. Before reading your article, I had not heard of this. I agree with you on the boundaries that may have to be considered with some medical advancements. I don't see how this type of transplant could be offensive to anyone. Look at all the plastic surgery done daily in our world. If the concern is the recipient looking like the donor, I'm sure that would be easily alleviated. As with many transplants, it is sad that someone's misfortune leads to the answered prayers of another.Thank you, Lorrie. All too true. Thanks for reading and commenting.Sandra
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