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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
09:14
Surgical Approach to Full Soft Tissue Face Allograft Procurement for Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation
Published on: December 30, 2025
Face as an organ
Maria Siemionow1, Erhan Sonmez
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. siemiom@ccf.org
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|August 30, 2008
Summary
The human face should be viewed as an organ, crucial for both physical and social survival. Face allotransplantation significantly enhances quality of life, impacting social well-being.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Transplantation immunology
- Reconstructive surgery
Background:
- The human face performs vital functions impacting quality of life.
- Composite tissue allografts can improve patient outcomes.
- Current classifications do not recognize the face as a life-essential organ for transplantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose viewing the face as an organ.
- To compare the face's structure and function to the kidney.
- To highlight the importance of face allotransplantation for physical and social survival.
Main Methods:
- Comparative anatomical and functional analysis of the face and kidney.
- Review of existing literature on composite tissue allografts and quality of life.
- Emphasis on the functional and social significance of the face.
Main Results:
- The face shares structural and functional similarities with solid organs like the kidney.
- Face allotransplantation is a major reconstructive procedure that improves quality of life.
- The face is essential for both physical and social survival, with social well-being being critical for a fulfilling life.
Conclusions:
- The face should be considered an organ in the context of transplantation.
- Face allotransplantation is vital for restoring physical and social functioning, thereby enhancing overall quality of life.
- Organ donation decisions should respect the comprehensive value of the face beyond mere skin.
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