Get ready everyone, the unthinkable just may be happening before
we know it...Face Transplantation!
Although we may not be ready for it, it's something that I'm sure one day (possibly soon) will be happening. Maybe not at an outstanding rate like organ transplants, but they will be there. In case you didn't know, we've already performed the first U.S. hand transplant and second in the world in 1999 (Los Angeles Times). Every since then, there have been 20 hand transplants world wide, something never thought possible back then, is something almost common now. If a face transplant were to take place, the procedure would be more clear-cut than the multiple reconstructive surgeries that victims suffer through now (Los Angeles Times). There are still many concerns about public reactions, and in Britain they have put a hold on the process for now. They are going to explore the ethical arguments both for and against this procedure by giving surveys and doing studies (Los Angeles Times). If the medical community gets the results the want, they are more than ready to try. Even if the feedback is not positive, it's only a matter of time until it's approved. Many doctors are still unsure whether the risks will prevail over the potential value.
To transplant a face, the surgery would be microsurgery which is the connection of small nerves and blood vessels (Los Angeles Times). First they would remove a layer of skin from the donor that contained the muscle, nerves, tendons and blood vessels. Then the recipients face would be removed leaving only bone and cartilage, and the donor face would then be placed on top (Los Angeles Times). The result would yield resemblances of both donor and recipient explained Dr. John Barker, director of research for the surgeon's group. Surgeons are already working with the reconstruction of faces on many victims. Like most other transplant victims, the need for daily medications would still be there so the body didn't recognize the tissue as foreign and reject it.
Obviously there are many risks involved with this type of surgery. In Britain, further research needs to be completed to better control the complications that could possibly take place before moving forward, stated the Royal College of Surgeons. For the U.S. the case is different, the only thing the Louisville surgeons need is consent from their hospital's institutional review board. Some concerns brought up by Dr. James Wells, Long Beach plastic surgeon, are if we will be able to follow up with issues such as tissue matching, the rejection phenomenon, and social issues, along with many more. Another problem is the concern for drugs and their side effects which include, hypertension, diabetes, kidney toxicity and infection. Dr. Rod Rohrich, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a plastic surgeon thinks, the place to start is with those people who have endured devastating injuries. The recipient would need to fully comprehend the ramifications of such a surgery and the possibility of failure (Los Angeles Times).
Dr. John Barker performed a study of over 300 people asking how much risk they would accept to receive a new kidney, hand, partial face or entire face. The results showed that most people "would take more chances to replace a disfigured face" (Los Angeles Times). Many people that have a disfigurement don't leave their home for fear of rejection they may receive from the population. We as humans place much emphasis on our appearance and the way we present ourselves. For those who don't have the confidence after a traumatic event to leave there homes, this opens a door of opportunity for them. Even with multiple reconstructions, your face still may look disfigured, and many times there is not much else to be done. Recipients also must realize that there will still be scarring and the need for psychological adjustments (Los Angeles Times). There are many hurdles that need to be cleared before this kind of surgery can take place. The first being donors. Who would be willing to donate their loved ones face for this type of procedure (Los Angeles Times)? This may be the most difficult hurdle in the way of face transplants. The amount of donors there are now is incredibly narrow and this type of donation would make it even more narrow. There's a lot to be done with the development, but one day I'm sure it will be done.