Research and events leading to facial transplantation.
Facial transplantation has long captured the interest and imagination of scientists, the media, and the lay public. Facial transplantation could provide an excellent alternative to current treatments for facial disfigurement caused by burns, trauma, cancer extirpation, or congenital birth defects. This article discusses the major technical, immunologic, psychosocial and ethical hurdles that have been overcome to bring facial transplantation from an idea to a clinical reality by providing the reader with a chronologic overview of the research and events that have led this exciting new treatment into the clinical arena.
Barker
John H
JH
Department of Surgery, 511 South Floyd Street, 320 MDR Building, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. jhbark01@louisville.edu
Stamos
Niki
N
Furr
Allen
A
McGuire
Sean
S
Cunningham
Michael
M
Wiggins
Osborne
O
Brown
Charles S
CS
Gander
Brian
B
Maldonado
Claudio
C
Banis
Joseph C
JC
D000208:Acute Disease; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006789:Host vs Graft Reaction; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents