Thirteen years after the first successful face transplant, US trauma surgeons should be aware of the current role of facial transplantation for patients with severe facial disfigurement – including evidence that the final appearance and functioning are superior to that provided by conventional reconstructive surgery. That’s the message of a special update on ‘Face Transplantation Today’ in the June issue of The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, edited by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.
Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS, and colleagues of the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone Health, New York, summarize the world experience with facial transplantation to date, along with a new study showing better aesthetic outcomes with facial transplant, compared to conventional reconstruction.
