Facial Tissue Allotransplantation

SavageGlow · #1 ● 07-29-2024, 03:01 PM

Patient E, a 19-year-old man, was admitted to hospital for treatment of third- to fourth-degree electrical burns.
He was injured on August 09, 2012, in the line of duty while performing military service. Over the period of 3 years, he received >30 reconstructive surgeries. However, the results of treatment were not sufficient to allow the patient to achieve social adaptation and did not eliminate the major self-identification disorder which he developed after the facial injury. This caused him to attempt suicide on 2 occasions.

Donor Stage:

In May 2015, the Coordination Center received information about a potential male donor of 51 years of age with a traumatic brain injury and started the procedure for ascertaining brain death.

According to the principles of humane treatment of the body of a deceased person, the donor’s facial tissue defect was closed with a death mask (Fig. 4). At the final stage of manufacturing the death mask, the finished silicone model of the face was cleaned of artifacts, eyebrows and eyelashes were fixed, and makeup was applied. Preparation of the mask took about 8 hours Figs. 2&3.
The most stressful complication was thrombosis of the donor vein that occurred during the first day after the surgery.

Condition of the Patient at the Present Time:

One year after the partial face allotrasplantation, the patient underwent rhinoplasty aimed at reduction of the volume of tissues at the end part of the nose and restoration of the columella.
Complete social rehabilitation of the patient has now been achieved. He attends an institution, works, and has a family.