The first face transplant in the U.S. was recently completed at the Cleveland Clinic, the hospital announced. Nearly all of a woman’s face was replaced with that of a dead female donor in an operation a couple weeks ago.
Digital Journal — A medical breakthrough touched down in Ohio recently. The Cleveland Clinic announced it has successfully undergone a face transplant on a woman. Reconstructive surgeon Dr. Maria Siemionow replaced 80 per cent of the woman’s face with the face of a dead female donor.
No other details were given about the woman or her age. The hospital promised to release more information at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
The Cleveland transplant is the fourth to be completed in the world. The first one occurred in France after a woman was mauled by a dog. The woman is said to be recovering well.
For the Cleveland Clinic transplant, the operation will involved taking skin, blood vessels, nerves from the donor and carefully connecting them to the recipient once their own facial scar tissue has been removed. Some experts estimate it will have have taken at least eight to ten hours to complete.
The face can only be taken from a deceased donor who is well matched to the recipient in age, sex, tissue type and skin tone.
