Human face transplant: Closer to reality

[Jabhad]

US plans first face transplant

 

The procedure would take about 10 hours

US surgeons are to interview a shortlist of patients hoping to be the first to receive a face transplant.

Doctors in the US have already carried out the procedure on bodies donated for medical research.

 

Now the Cleveland Clinic team will choose a patient whose face is disfigured to receive a "new" face from a dead donor.

 

The chance it will work is around 50% and experts have expressed safety and ethical concerns about the procedure.

 

A new face

 

The recipient would have to take powerful anti-rejection drugs for life, which carry considerable long-term health risks, says the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which formed a working party to look at the issue earlier this year.

 

Also, it is not known how well an individual and their loved ones would adapt psychologically to a completely new face.

 

There are a great many questions to which answers are needed

 

Changing Faces charity

 

It is hard to predict what the person would look like after a face transplant.

 

The procedure would involve taking skin and underlying tissues from a dead donor and placing them on the living recipient.

 

What do Nomads here think about this new human adventure.

[Khayr]

Salamz,

 

You mean I could look like a 'White Man'

 

and all my troubles in life would be drastically

 

reduced.

 

 

This sounds very satanic and 'Frankstein' like.

 

One lie leads to another and....another

 

and....another...it never ends!

[Mowgli]

Salaams

 

The first person who had a hand transplant in 1999 changed his mind and asked for it to be severed in 2000/2001 (can't remember the year), but I remember he said that enough was enough. But I'm certain a hand transplant is nothing like a face transplant. Waking up in the morning looking completely different, having the face of another (although it would not really resemble the face of the donor). There is certaintly going to be psychological problems i.e identity crisis, guilt over the donor etc etc.

 

Most certaintly taking life long anti rejection drugs would result in a very weakened immune system leading to other complications(to the kidney and possibly even cancer?).

 

Finding the right patient is going to be tricky, one that is fully aware of the risks involved and is willing to have the operation (a hand can easily be severed, but a face?).There are many ethical issues that need to be discussed and examined further, but the question for now is whether the benefits will outweigh risks.

[Alle-ubaahne]

Sharka-cowdu-bilaah! Waxaan maqli jiray waji-badalasho badanaa ma munaafaqbaa. hadana waa tanaa iyadoo la sharciyeen rabo munaafaqnimadii. Iga leexo aan ka kudee maha, intaysan qoraxda dhanka kale kasoo bixin.... :eek:

[Jabhad]

Very scary development indeed!