Face off(credit:
ericmcgregor)
Face transplant is a recent plastic surgery advance that improves facial appearance, especially for those with severe disfigurement from trauma.
Free Tissue Transfer vs. Face Transplant
A free tissue transfer is the relocation of tissue (and possibly underlying fat, nerves, and blood vessels) from one area of the patient′s body to another area of the patient. A face transplant is healthy tissue taken from a donor, and surgically attached to a patient.
Free Tissue Transfer: In the microsurgical free tissue transfer technique, healthy tissue is first removed from the patient. Then the traumatized tissue is removed from the problem-area of the patient. The tissue might include underlying fat, nerves, and blood vessels. The healthy tissue is then placed into the traumatized area. The free tissue transfer is repeated until the entire traumatized area is repaired.
Face Transplant: A face transplant first requires a donor. A donor is typically someone who has been declared brain dead but with blood still flowing to the tissue to be used. The healthy tissue is extracted from the donor. Then the traumatized tissue is removed from the patient. The healthy tissue from the donor is then surgically attached to the problem-area of the recipient patient. Face transplants may require other surgical procedures at the same time (such as a cheek or chin implant).
Complications and Risks: Medical procedures always carry risks, such as pain and swelling, which are typically managed with oral medications. But this new procedure does not yet have established risk, recovery, or complications standards. The doctor can intervene in many complications, but they can cause a longer recovery period. Complications that may arise include:
- infection
- bleeding
- blood clots
- excessive scarring
- complications in metabolic activities such as diabetes and lymphoma
- reduced sensation in the treated area, which can be permanent
- acute or chronic facial flap failure, meaning that the tissue transfer in one or more areas did not adhere to the healthy surrounding tissue
immunosuppression (problems from a suppressed immune system) - psychological problems from the changed facial appearance
The Study Phase:
Standards for face transplant surgery, including the methodology behind the procedure, have not yet been established, and the procedure is still in the study phase at the Cleveland Clinic. Treatment plans and recovery will differ with each patient.