… a near perfect skin-color match, and that made him both the first African American to undergo a face transplant and, at 68, the oldest recipient ever. “Morning by morning, new versions [of me] unfold,” Chelsea said on the day he was discharged from the hospital in August, nearly a month after surgery. “[But] I feel like myself.”
The face, as you know, is a complex part of the human body. It’s not just eyes, ears, a nose and a mouth. It is composed of many layers of skin, hair, and 44 muscles. These muscles control everything from eyebrow to nostril movements and lip control. The face is also made of blood vessels, sensory and motor nerves, cartilage, bone, and other tissue. In addition to basic functionality such as eating, smelling, and seeing, these facial components allow people to show essential non-verbal communication like smiling or frowning.
There are both short-term and long-term risks associated with this procedure, as well as risks associated with the immunosuppressant protocol that is used to prevent transplant rejection.
Short term risks
Long, complex operation
Blood vessels may become “clotted off,” stopping blood flow to the new tissue. This is one reason why patients are monitored so closely in the intensive care unit (SICU) after surgery so that if this complication occurs, we detect it early and have the best chance to correct it.
Infection
Wound healing problems
Pain
Bleeding
The development of other medical problems
Long term risks
Rejection of new face. This risk begins at the time of surgery and remains a possibility for the rest of a recipient’s life.
Possible problems with bone healing, which may require additional surgery.
“This experience has been an incredible journey for me,” Chelsea said. “One filled at times with many challenges. Today, however, I am thrilled to say that I’m on the road to recovery.”