title: The world's experience with facial transplantation: what have we learned thus far?
abstract: The objective of this review article is to summarize the published details and media citations for all seven face transplants performed to date to point out deficiencies in those reports so as to provide the basis for examining where the field of face transplantation stands, and to act as a stimulus to enhance the quality of future reports and functional outcomes. Overall long-term function of facial alloflaps has been reported satisfactorily in all seven cases. Sensory recovery ranges between 3 and 6 months, and acceptable motor recovery ranges between 9 and 12 months. The risks and benefits of facial composite tissue allotransplantation, which involves mandatory lifelong immunosuppression analogous to kidney transplants, should be deliberated by each institution's multidisciplinary face transplant team. Face transplantation has been shown thus far to be a viable option in some patients suffering severe facial deficits which are not amenable to modern-day reconstructive technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. gordonc@ccf.org
authors.forename: Chad R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siemionow
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papay
authors.forename: Landon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pryor
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gatherwright
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kodish
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paradis
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coffman
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mathes
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Losee
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Serletti
authors.forename: Mikaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hivelin
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lantieri
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Zins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000601:surgery; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D054445:Facial Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents