Experimental Design for Composite Face Transplantation

Face allotransplantation represents a novel frontier in complex human facial defect reconstruction. To develop more refined surgical techniques and yield fine results, it is first imperative to make a suitable animal model. The development of a composite facial allograft model in swine is more appealing: the facial anatomy, including facial nerve and vascular anatomy, is similar to that of humans. Two operative teams performed simultaneously, one assigned to harvest the donor and the other to prepare the recipient in efforts to shorten operative time. The flap was harvested with the common carotid artery and external jugular vein, and it was transferred to the recipient. After insetting the maxilla, mandible, muscles, and skins, the anastomosis of the external jugular vein, external carotid artery, and facial nerve were performed. The total mean time of transplantation was 7 hours, and most allografts survived without vascular problems. The authors documented that this model is well qualified to be used as a standard transplantation training model and future research work, in every aspect.