Face Transplantation Research Articles

Are face transplant candidates choosing autonomously? A preliminary method to evaluate autonomous choosing in psychosocial and bioethical assessments.

This report proposes a framework for evaluating the validity of informed consent and autonomy in face transplant candidates, taking into account the risk of depression and non-compliance. Traditional factors like decisional capacity, disclosure, comprehension, voluntariness, and agreement are insufficient for assessing valid informed consent in individuals whose self-worth relies on public perception, potentially leading to self-harm if societal worth is undermined. Reliance on self-esteem, rather than inherent personal value, poses risks of depression, poor treatment adherence, and deferential vulnerability. We suggest a qualitative analysis of self-worth, self-esteem, self-trust, and self-respect to better assess the autonomy of face transplant candidates in their decision-making process.

Important Functional Aspects on Face Transplantation. Current Literature Review

Patients who suffer severe facial trauma not only face the burden of social isolation due to disfigurement, but they also frequently lose the ability to breathe on their own, eat without the use of substantial accommodations like straws or pureed food, or communicate verbally or through expressions. FT may be beneficial in improving quality of life and may even be able to avert potentially fatal consequences. To overcome the experimental nature of FT and strengthen evidence, future outcome reports should include information on problems and the capacity to smell, breathe, eat, speak, grimace, and feel facial sensations before and after FT. Unfortunately, many data are lacking from these reports.

Face Transplantation, Social Death , and Bias in Health Care Resource Allocation.

Face Transplantation, Social Death , and Bias in Health Care Resource Allocation.

First-in-Human Whole-Eye Transplantation: Ensuring an Ethical Approach to Surgical Innovation

As innovations in the field of vascular composite allotransplantation (VCA) progress, whole-eye transplantation (WET) is poised to transition from non-human mammalian models to living human recipients. Present treatment options for vision loss are generally considered suboptimal, and attendant concerns ranging from aesthetics and prosthesis maintenance to social stigma may be mitigated by WET. Potential benefits to WET recipients may also include partial vision restoration, psychosocial benefits related to identity and social integration, improvements in physical comfort and function, and reduced surgical risk associated with a biologic eye compared to a prosthesis. Perioperative and postoperative risks of WET are expected to be comparable to those of facial transplantation (FT), and may be similarly mitigated by immunosuppressive protocols, adequate psychosocial support, and a thorough selection process for both the recipient and donor. To minimize the risks associated with immunosuppressive medications, the first attempts in human recipients will likely be performed in conjunction with a FT. If first-in-human attempts at combined FT-WET prove successful and the biologic eye survives, this opens the door for further advancement in the field of vision restoration by means of a viable surgical option. This analysis integrates recent innovations in WET research with the existing discourse on the ethics of surgical innovation and offers preliminary guidance to VCA programs considering undertaking WET in human recipients.

Corpo (Auto)Biografado em Facial Hair Transplant (1972) e Rape Scene (1973): configurações de sentidos para uma pedagogia performativa feminista

ABSTRACT This article presents a discussion about gender based on the notions of performance and performativity, seeking to weave relationships between these terms with art and the educational field. It pursues the idea of a performative feminist pedagogy, performed by the (auto)biographed body, in artistic performances developed by women, involving the issue of gender, more specifically the performances Facial Hair Transplants (1972) and Rape Scene (1973), by the Cuban artist Ana Mendieta. Supported by researchers from multiple areas, this study aims to critically contribute to the area of education, redefining educational practice from an aesthetic and gender principle, offering reflections on the production of difference.

Body (Auto)Biographed in Facial Hair Transplants (1972) and Rape Scene (1973): configurations of meanings for a feminist performative pedagogy

RESUMO Este artigo apresenta uma discussão sobre gênero a partir das noções de performance e performatividade, buscando tecer relações desses termos com a arte e o campo educacional. Persegue a ideia de uma pedagogia feminista performativa, desempenhada pelo corpo (auto)biografado, em performances artísticas desenvolvidas por mulheres, envolvendo a questão de gênero, mais especificamente as performances Facial Hair Transplante (1972) e Rape Scene (1973), da artista cubana Ana Mendieta. Apoiado por pesquisadores de múltiplas áreas, este estudo pretende contribuir criticamente com a área da educação, redefinindo a prática educativa desde um princípio estético e de gênero, oferecendo reflexões sobre a produção da diferença.

Incorporating Trauma-informed Approaches to Care in Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation.

Since 1998, vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) has been a growing area of research in the field of reconstructive surgery. Although conditions treated with VCA often result from a traumatic injury, there has been limited emphasis on incorporating trauma-informed care (TIC) models in VCA. Considering the importance of psychosocial well-being in VCA candidates and recipients, applying best practices in TIC to the face, upper extremity, and penile transplantation may be critical in minimizing retraumatization throughout the perioperative process. There are six main principles of TIC: safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment and choice; and cultural, historical, and gender issues, which may be further incorporated in care for VCA patients. Evaluating for PTSD and incorporating TIC may have substantial benefit to postoperative outcomes.

INNOVATIVE THERAPIES IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE AND TRANSPLANTATION

Introduction: In the past decade we have observed fast development of a new medical fields including regenerative medicine and reconstructive transplantation of the vascularized composite allografts (VCA). The VCA procedures include the new generation of face transplants, hand transplants and many other organs which opened a new reconstructive option for severely damaged patients. The lecture summarizes the risks and benefits of the VCA transplants specifically in the context of the need for life-long immunosuppression to extend VCA survival. Aim: Novel therapeutic strategies of different cell- based therapies are discussed with special emphasizes on the new generation of the donor-recipient chimeric cells used as a supportive tolerogenic therapy for VCA transplants. Material and Methods: Development of the preclinical studies carried in the experimental animal models for creation of the chimeric cells is outlined. This is followed by the creation of the human hematopoietic chimeric cells of the bone marrow and the Umbilical Cord Blood cells origin, confirming tolerogenic and immunomodulatory properties of these new cell-based therapies for application in theVCA and solod organ transplantation. Further development of chimeric cells in the field of regenerative medicine include creation of the Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) cells as a novel therapeutic approach for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Results: In preparation to clinical applications DEC cells safety and efficacy was tested in the mdx mouse models of DMD. The safety of DEC biodistribution to the DMD- affected target organs of heart, diaphragm and gastrocnemius muscle was confirmed and correlated with improvement in functional tests assessed by echocardiography, plethysmography and standard tests of muscle strengths. These encouraging results observed in preclinical studies lead to the development of the clinical protocol for DMD patients. Currently the DT-DEC01 therapy was applied to seven DMD patients. Both, safety and efficacy of DT-DEC01 cells was confirmed up to 24 months after systemic intraosseous administration to the DMD patients. Conclusions: This pilot clinical study introduces DEC cells as a novel universal therapeutic approach for treatment of DMD and other muscular dystrophies regardless of gene mutation and ambulatory status of the patients.

Review of two immunosuppressants: tacrolimus and cyclosporine.

Immunosuppressants are vital in organ transplantation including facial transplantation (FT) but are associated with persistent side effects. This review article was prepared to compare the two most used immunosuppressants, cyclosporine and tacrolimus, in terms of mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety and to assess recent trials to mitigate their side effects. PubMed and Google Scholar queries were conducted using combinations of the following search terms: "transplantation immunosuppressant," "cyclosporine," "tacrolimus," "calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)," "efficacy," "safety," "induction therapy," "maintenance therapy," and "conversion therapy." Both immunosuppressants inhibit calcineurin and effectively down-regulate cytokines. Tacrolimus may be more advantageous since it lowers the likelihood of acute rejection, has the ability to reverse allograft rejection following cyclosporine treatment, and has the potential to reinnervate nerves. Meanwhile, graft survival rates seem to be comparable for the CNIs. To avoid nephrotoxicity, various immunosuppressants other than CNIs have been studied. Despite averting nephrotoxicity, these medications show increases in acute rejection or other types of adverse effects compared to CNIs. FT has been a topic of interest for oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and the postoperative usage of immunosuppressants is crucial for the long-term prognosis of FT. As contemporary transplantation regimens incorporate novel medications along with CNIs, further research is required.

Update on long-term mental health outcomes in eight face transplant recipients from a single center.

Face transplantation is a groundbreaking and complex surgical intervention offering profound physical and psychological benefits to patients with severe facial disfigurements. This report provides an update on the long-term psychosocial outcome of eight face transplant recipients. All transplant recipients were initially transplanted at Brigham and Women´s Hospital (Boston, USA) between 2011 and 2020 and seen as outpatient patients at Yale New Haven Hospital (New Haven, USA). A mixed-methods approach was used to assess the psychological and social well-being of these patients. The Short-Form 12, Brief-COPE, EQ-VAS and CES-D were administered between October 2022 and October 2023. Older age of face transplant recipients was significantly and positively associated with better mental health and increased use of both emotional and instrumental support (Brief-COPE). The initial enhancement in patients' self-reported quality of life, as assessed by the EQVAS, declined on the EQ-VAS score at the last follow-up. Similarly, an increase in depression score was observed (CES-D score) up through the last follow-up assessment. Both of the latter results, however, did not reach statistical significance. These results underscore the importance of ongoing psychological support throughout the long-term journey of recovery for face transplant recipients. These findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive, patient-centered approach that also addresses the complex psychological dimensions and contributes to our understanding of the mental health dynamics involved in face transplantation, stressing the need for guidelines and continued research in this evolving field.

Preclinical evaluation of Affibody molecule for PET imaging of human pancreatic islets derived from stem cells

BackgroundBeta-cell replacement methods such as transplantation of isolated donor islets have been proposed as a curative treatment of type 1 diabetes, but widespread application is challenging due to shortages of donor tissue and the need for continuous immunosuppressive treatments. Stem-cell-derived islets have been suggested as an alternative source of beta cells, but face transplantation protocols optimization difficulties, mainly due to a lack of available methods and markers to directly monitor grafts survival, as well as their localization and function. Molecular imaging techniques and particularly positron emission tomography has been suggested as a tool for monitoring the fate of islets after clinical transplantation. The integral membrane protein DGCR2 has been demonstrated to be a potential pancreatic islet biomarker, with specific expression on insulin-positive human embryonic stem-cell-derived pancreatic progenitor cells. The candidate Affibody molecule ZDGCR2:AM106 was radiolabeled with fluorine-18 using a novel click chemistry-based approach. The resulting positron emission tomography tracer [18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 was evaluated for binding to recombinant human DGCR2 and cryosections of stem-cell-derived islets, as well as in vivo using an immune-deficient mouse model transplanted with stem-cell-derived islets. Biodistribution of the [18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 was also assessed in healthy rats and pigs.Results[18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 was successfully synthesized with high radiochemical purity and yield via a pretargeting approach. [18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 retained binding to recombinant human DCGR2 as well as to cryosectioned stem-cell-derived islets, but in vivo binding to native pancreatic tissue in both rat and pig was low. However, in vivo uptake of [18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 in stem-cell-derived islets transplanted in the immunodeficient mice was observed, albeit only within the early imaging frames after injection of the radiotracer.ConclusionTargeting of DGCR2 is a promising approach for in vivo detection of stem-cell-derived islets grafts by molecular imaging. The synthesis of [18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 was successfully performed via a pretargeting method to label a site-specific covalently bonded fluorine-18 to the Affibody molecule. However, the rapid washout of [18F]ZDGCR2:AM106 from the stem-cell-derived islets graft indicates that dissociation kinetics can be improved. Further studies using alternative binders of similar classes with improved binding potential are warranted.

Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications in Facial Plastic Surgery: A Scoping Review.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are emerging technologies with wide potential applications in health care. We performed a scoping review of the current literature on the application of augmented and VR in the field of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS). PubMed and Web of Science. According to PRISMA guidelines, PubMed and Web of Science were used to perform a scoping review of literature regarding the utilization of AR and/or VR relevant to FPRS. Fifty-eight articles spanning 1997-2023 met the criteria for review. Five overarching categories of AR and/or VR applications were identified across the articles: preoperative, intraoperative, training/education, feasibility, and technical. The following clinical areas were identified: burn, craniomaxillofacial surgery (CMF), face transplant, face lift, facial analysis, facial palsy, free flaps, head and neck surgery, injectables, locoregional flaps, mandible reconstruction, mandibuloplasty, microtia, skin cancer, oculoplastic surgery, rhinology, rhinoplasty, and trauma. AR and VR have broad applications in FPRS. AR for surgical navigation may have the most emerging potential in CMF surgery and free flap harvest. VR is useful as distraction analgesia for patients and as an immersive training tool for surgeons. More data on these technologies' direct impact on objective clinical outcomes are still needed. N/A Laryngoscope, 134:2568-2577, 2024.

Combined Face and Whole Eye Transplantation: Cadaveric Rehearsals and Feasibility Assessment.

In properly selected patients, combined face and whole eye transplantation (FWET) may offer a more optimal aesthetic and potentially functional outcome while avoiding the complications and stigma of enucleation and prosthetics. This study presents the most comprehensive cadaveric assessment for FWET to date, including rehearsal allograft procurement on a brain-dead donor. Over a 2-year period, 15 rehearsal dissections were performed on 21 cadavers and one brain-dead donor. After identification of a potential recipient, rehearsals assessed clinical feasibility and enabled operative planning, technical practice, refinement of personalized equipment, and improved communication among team members. Operative techniques are described. Facial allograft procurement closely followed previously described face transplant techniques. Ophthalmic to superficial temporal (O-ST) vessel anastomosis for globe survival was assessed. Craniectomy allowed for maximal optic nerve and ophthalmic vessel pedicle length. Appropriate pedicle length and vessel caliber for O-ST anastomosis was seen. Research procurement demonstrated collateral blood flow to the orbit and surrounding structures from the external carotid system as well as confirmed the feasibility of timely O-ST anastomosis. Personalized cutting guides enabled highly accurate bony inset. This study formalizes an approach to FWET, which is feasible for clinical translation in judiciously selected patients. O-ST anastomosis seems to minimize retinal ischemia time and allow perfusion of the combined allograft on a single external carotid pedicle. Although restoration of vision likely remains out of reach, globe survival is possible.

Unveiling the Landmark Case: The First Face Transplant in the United States: Postmortem Biopsy Series Findings.

Unveiling the Landmark Case: The First Face Transplant in the United States: Postmortem Biopsy Series Findings.

Advancing Face Transplantation: A Critical Analysis of Revisions and Long-Term Surgical Outcomes in 10 Cases.

Face transplantation has emerged as a viable solution for reconstructing the most complex facial injuries. Previous work has demonstrated that surgical revisions are necessary to optimize outcomes. The authors' group has updated the previous report of revisions in their cohort, quantified and described which revisions were performed for functional, aesthetic, or mixed indications, and described the rationale, safety, and long-term outcomes of these revisions. A retrospective analysis of the authors' 10 face transplants from April of 2009 to February of 2023 was performed. The patients' medical records, preoperative facial defects, and operative reports (index and secondary revisions) were reviewed. Nine patients were included. One patient underwent irreversible acute-on-chronic allograft rejection and received a second face transplant. The average number of revisions was 5.2 per patient (range, 2 to 11 procedures). The median time interval from transplantation to first revision was 4 months (range, 1 to 21 months). Median follow-up was 106 months (range, 39 to 142 months). Most interventions consisted of debulking the allograft or revising the periorbital tissues. In the current study, the authors report longer-term data on revision procedures needed in face transplant recipients. Patients should expect to undergo revisions for both functional and aesthetic considerations. Although the majority of revisions are performed within 2 years after transplantation, revisions can be safely performed at any time point. Shared decision-making between the patient and provider team is essential in deciding which revisions are performed and when. Therapeutic, V.

International consensus recommendations on face transplantation: A 2-step Delphi study

Face transplantation is a viable reconstructive approach for severe craniofacial defects. Despite the evolution witnessed in the field, ethical aspects, clinical and psychosocial implications, public perception, and economic sustainability remain the subject of debate and unanswered questions. Furthermore, poor data reporting and sharing, the absence of standardized metrics for outcome evaluation, and the lack of consensus definitions of success and failure have hampered the development of a “transplantation culture” on a global scale. We completed a 2-round online modified Delphi process with 35 international face transplant stakeholders, including surgeons, clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, ethicists, policymakers, and researchers, with a representation of 10 of the 19 face transplant teams that had already performed the procedure and 73% of face transplants. Themes addressed included patient assessment and selection, indications, social support networks, clinical framework, surgical considerations, data on patient progress and outcomes, definitions of success and failure, public image and perception, and financial sustainability. The presented recommendations are the product of a shared commitment of face transplant teams to foster the development of face transplantation and are aimed at providing a gold standard of practice and policy.

Drainage Pattern of Craniofacial Veins With Emphasis on its Influence on Facial Reconstruction Procedures.

As the facial transplantation procedures are becoming more popular and frequent in recent years, for repairing facial trauma, variations in the veins of head and neck needs to be reported time and again. This study was undertaken to examine the course and drainage pattern of the facial vein and external jugular vein on this context and emphasize its surgical implications. The authors studied the head and neck region of 50 embalmed cadavers of both sexes to document normal and variant anatomy of facial, retromandibular, and external jugular veins. In 30% of the head and neck regions, different draining pattern of the above-mentioned veins were observed. One of the rare variation discovered was the splitting of the retromandibular vein to embrace the external carotid artery within the parotid gland. The data about variations in the termination of facial vein, retromandibular vein, and external jugular vein, as observed in the present study might be useful in avoiding accidental injury to these vessels during any surgical intervention in the face as well as neck. Level of Evidence: IV.

Mid-Cheek Reconstruction after a Dog Bite: Case Report and Literature Review

The incidence of animal bite injuries affecting the anatomical regions of the head and neck is notably prevalent, particularly among individuals within the younger demographic. Canine species have been identified as the primary source of the majority of bite injuries in the human population, the spectrum of injuries encompasses a range of traumatic manifestations, which may encompass uncomplicated lacerations or punctures, as well as more complex avulsions characterized by the presence or absence of accompanying tissue. The anatomical regions most frequently affected by the condition under investigation include the buccal region, nasal area, and labial region. The acquisition of comprehensive data regarding the vaccination status of both the animal and the patient is of paramount significance in the realm of medical research. Furthermore, it is imperative to duly administer prophylactic measures such as tetanus or rabies prophylaxis, contingent up on the presence of any indications warranting such interventions. The aforementioned wounds necessitate comprehensive assessment, meticulous cleansing, and, on occasion, surgical debridement or reconstruction within the confines of the operating theater. The selection of the appropriate reparative intervention is contingent upon a comprehensive assessment of the precise anatomical site and magnitude of the inflicted trauma, thereby encompassing a spectrum of potential modalities including primary closure, microsurgical replantation, dermal grafting, tissue flaps, and in rare instances, facial allograft transplantation.

Face Transplantation: What You Need to Know?

Since the 1990s, face transplants have gotten a lot of press and public attention across the world. After a transplant was disclosed in November 2005, the first recipient, Isabelle Dinoire, found herself at the center of a spectacular event of surgical innovation. Up till August 2020, 47 transplants have been performed globally (including two retransplants), all of which have received substantial media attention. Hundreds of publications addressing the procedure's medicinal, physical, psychological, and ethical ramifications have been published in the scholarly literature, far outnumbering the procedure's occurrence. Face transplants have also appeared in films, television shows, and novels, indicating a desire to explore the social and interpersonal consequences of face variance. This is an attempt to present a comprehensive context of face transplantation progress and practice, based mostly on extant documentary sources. It traces the history of face transplants, identifying major milestones and themes along the way and focusing on its development as a therapeutic option for individuals with severe facial abnormalities. There are still important questions to be asked about the patient's perspective, as well as the complex philosophical and sociological meanings of the face, but this article focuses on the institutional and cultural factors that have allowed for such an ethically complex and radical surgery to take place. Opportunity and financial feasibility are among them, as are expertise, ambition, and an awareness of patient needs.

Maximizing Solid Organ and Face Transplant Procurement Team Coordination: The Posterior Tibial Artery Flap as an Ideal Sentinel Flap

Face transplantation became a reality with the first case performed in 2005. Facial tissue allograft procurement is technically complex and time-intensive. Brain-dead deceased donors are frequently, if not always, multiorgan donors. Every effort should be made during face allograft recovery to minimize any risk to the recovery of lifesaving solid organs. Some programs require the procurement of a myofascial vascularized skin graft to function as a sentinel flap allowing frequent monitoring for rejection without negatively impacting the esthetics of the face graft. Up till now, the flap used has been the radial forearm flap. Procuring the radial forearm flap places the procuring team in close proximity to the head and torso, where the face recovery and the solid organ recovery teams would require unhindered access. Here, we present the posterior tibial artery flap as an alternative flap that would provide benefits to the coordination of the multiple teams working to procure organs from a deceased donor.