A survey of North American burn and plastic surgeons on their current attitudes toward facial transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Feasibility of composite tissue allotransplantation (CTA) has been substantiated by transplantations of the hand, abdominal wall, and face. CTA has the potential to reconstruct "like with like," but the risk-to-benefit ratio and clinical indications have yet to be determined. We sought to examine the current attitudes about the emerging field of CTA from those who treat complex facial injuries.


METHODS
In 2007, a Web-based blinded survey was sent to both burn and plastic surgeons involved in facial reconstruction. We examined the practice profile with regard to complex facial injuries and asked respondents to assess the level of risk in CTA and indications for facial transplantation. Surgeons were asked to evaluate three clinical cases (two closely mirroring clinical face transplantations) for suitability for treatment with CTA.


RESULTS
One hundred sixty-four surgeons responded (54% response rate) and averaged 17.3 years in practice. They saw 12.1 severe facial-injury patients per year. A total of 78.7% agreed that current techniques do not provide adequate reconstruction for severe facial injuries, and 26.2% were in favor of performing CTA on immunosuppression. Acceptable indications for CTA were multiple failed reconstructions (70%), total facial burn (59%), and absence of remote tissue (55%). Ten percent saw no acceptable indication for CTA. The scenarios that mimicked recent transplantations had moderate support in favor of CTA (20.7% for the Chinese patient and 29.3% for the French patient).


CONCLUSIONS
This survey demonstrates support for use of CTA to reconstruct complex facial deformities. Surgeons continue to be wary of immunosuppression and chronic rejection, and many want to wait for better immunologic treatment options.
Mathes
David W
DW
Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. dwmathes@u.washington.edu
Kumar
Neel
N
Ploplys
Emilia
E
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D054445:Facial Transplantation; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009656:North America; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000523:psychology*; D014194:Traumatology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery