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Updated: May 10, 2026
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Facial Transplants in Xenopus laevis Embryos
Published on: March 26, 2014
Outcomes 18 months after the first human partial face transplantation
Jean-Michel Dubernard1, Benoit Lengelé, Emmanuel Morelon
1Department of Transplantology, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Université Lyon 1, Centaure Network, Lyon, France. jean-michel.dubernard@chu-lyon.fr
The New England Journal of Medicine
|December 14, 2007
Summary
The first partial face transplant showed satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes 18 months post-surgery. Sensory recovery was normal by 6 months, with motor function improving over 10 months, demonstrating successful facial allograft integration.
Area of Science:
- Transplantation immunology
- Reconstructive surgery
- Clinical outcomes research
Background:
- First human partial face allograft performed on November 27, 2005.
- Reporting outcomes up to 18 months after the pioneering procedure.
- Focus on functional and aesthetic results of facial transplantation.
Observation:
- Sensory recovery (light touch, heat, cold) normalized by 6 months.
- Motor function recovery, including mouth closure, achieved by 10 months.
- Psychological acceptance correlated with functional improvements.
Findings:
- Two rejection episodes occurred and were successfully reversed.
- Immunosuppression regimen adjusted from tacrolimus to sirolimus due to decreased inulin clearance.
- Extracorporeal photochemotherapy initiated to prevent rejection recurrence.
- No subsequent rejection episodes observed after 18 months.
Implications:
- Partial face transplantation can yield satisfactory functional and aesthetic results.
- Long-term immunosuppression management is crucial for allograft survival.
- This study provides valuable insights into the clinical management of facial allografts.
