title: Face transplantation: where do we stand?
abstract: The recent clinical cases of hand and composite tissue allotransplantation opened a new era in the practice of reconstructive surgery. Some have suggested that face (allo)transplantation could be the next step to benefit patients whose conditions cannot be addressed by conventional techniques of reconstructive surgery using autologous tissues. This article reviews the current status of science regarding the prospect of human face transplantation. The main issues fall into three categories: (1) the surgical challenge of the procedure, specifically regarding vascular viability and functional recovery of the graft; (2) the risks of side effects from life-long immunosuppression necessary to prevent graft rejection; and (3) the ethical debate and the effects of the procedure on the population. Although face transplantation could one day be performed and extend the boundaries of reconstructive surgery, there are currently many obstacles that need to be overcome first.
authors.affiliation: Depatment of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Henri-Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-XII, Créteil, Paris, France. docteur.petit@mac.com
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paraskevas
authors.forename: Alicia B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Minns
authors.forename: W P Andrew
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Laurent A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lantieri
mesh_terms: D005145:Face / Q000601:surgery*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous