Face transplant, a face graft procedure to repair damage

A serious accident that results in damage to the face will make a person feel devastated. The reason is, the face is the first part of the body that is usually the center of attention. Face transplant or face transplant is one of the solutions offered by the medical world to repair a face that has suffered severe damage that cannot be handled by ordinary plastic surgery.

What is a face transplant?

Face transplant is a graft method to replace part or all of a patient's face with a suitable donor facial component. This surgery usually uses skin, tissue, nerves, blood vessels, bones, or other components on the face of a deceased person to be implanted on the patient.

The doctor will look for a match in terms of skin color, face size, blood group, tissue type, and age that is comparable between the donor and patient. So, later on, the patient will only receive the necessary components from the donor's face, not necessarily transferring his entire face to someone else.

The components from these donors will be taken and adjusted to the patient's facial structure. Thus, the end result does not mean that the patient has the face of the donor.

Face transplant procedure

Before surgery

Before the face transplant procedure is performed, the doctor will usually check first whether this method is the only solution for the patient concerned. Usually, this procedure is performed if a person has severe facial damage that cannot be repaired with just regular surgery.

If this method is the only best option, the doctor will usually perform a series of examinations that include:

• Physical examination
• Blood tests, including blood types and other body tissues
• X-rays and CT scans
• Physical therapy tests
• Evaluating nerve function
• Psychological consultation
• Consultation with a specialist who will be involved in this process
• Consultation regarding administrative issues as facial grafts are very costly

In addition, the doctor will also explain to the patient what will happen after the transplant, including the rules for taking medication and the lifestyle changes that need to be made. The doctor will also explain the risks and benefits of this transplant.

If the doctor determines that the patient is eligible for a face transplant, then the doctor will place the patient on a waiting list. At the same time, the doctor will also choose a healthy face to make an appropriate donor. If you are in this position, it is a good idea to keep in touch with the team of doctors who will perform this procedure and report your physical and mental health conditions regularly.

During surgery

Face transplant surgery usually lasts quite a long time, which can take up to more than 10 hours. During this process, a team of surgeons will reconstruct your face including the composition of the bones, arteries, veins, tendons, muscles, nerves, and skin.

If you have a partial face transplant, usually the center of the face, which includes the nose and lips, will be reconstructed. The reason is, this part of the face is in the highest level of difficulty when it is done using conventional plastic surgery techniques.

The surgeon will connect the blood vessels on the patient's face to the part of the face that is grafted before connecting nerves and other tissues such as bone, cartilage, and muscles.

While this operation is in progress, other separate operations will also be performed. Usually, the doctor will take a skin sample from the donor's arm to attach it to the patient's chest or stomach. The goal is that the grafted skin works like a transplanted face tissue that will eventually become part of the patient's own skin.

This is done so that the doctor can take a small sample of the new chest or stomach tissue for signs of rejection. So that doctors do not need to take skin samples from the face which will disturb the tissue after surgery.

After operation

After a successful operation, the patient will be asked to stay in the hospital for one to four weeks, as needed. During that time, the patient will be closely monitored to see his progress. Whether the face is experiencing signs of incompatibility or not. In addition, patients will also be guided to do facial therapy.

Once the patient is discharged, the doctor will schedule any further treatment as needed. In addition, the doctor will also prescribe immunosuppressive drugs which are usually taken for life to prevent the body from rejecting the new skin graft on the patient's face.

Risk of face transplant

Doing a face transplant procedure is not without risks. There are a number of risks that are important to consider before you perform this procedure, namely:

Short term risk

• Long and complicated operation process
• Blood vessels clot so they can stop blood flow to the new facial tissue
• Infection
• Problems related to wound healing
• Pain
• Bleeding
• A host of other complications that may occur as a result of developing an infection

Long term risk

• The body's rejection of new face grafts that may occur during surgery and beyond
• Bone-related problems that may allow the patient to require additional surgery

Risks associated with having an immune system problem

• Infection
• The development of bacteria in the body
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Kidney damage

Diet and nutritional intake after face transplant

After having a face transplant, you will need to adjust your food intake accordingly. Proper nutrition can keep you healthy and prevent infections and diseases. Usually, the doctor and the nutritionist concerned will recommend things such as:

• Eat fruits and vegetables every day
• Eating whole wheat bread, cereals, and other whole grain products
• Consume low-fat milk
• Have a low salt and low fat diet

Before performing a face transplant, you need to fully understand the procedure and its risks. Therefore, consult your trusted doctor whether this procedure is the only best option.