Clinical application of the FACES score for face transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to systematically evaluate all reported outcomes of facial allotransplantation (FT) using the previously described FACES scoring instrument.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of all consecutive face transplants to date (January 2012). Candidates were identified using medical and general internet database searches. Medical literature and media reports were reviewed for details regarding demographic, operative, anatomic, and psychosocial data, which were then used to formulate FACES scores. Pre-transplant and post-transplant scores for "functional status", "aesthetic deformity", "co-morbidities", "exposed tissue", and "surgical history" were calculated. Scores were statistically compared using paired-samples analyses.


RESULTS
Twenty consecutive patients were identified, with 18 surviving recipients. The sample was composed of 3 females and 17 males, with a mean age of 35.0 ± 11.0 years (range: 19-57 years). Overall, data reporting for functional parameters was poor. Six subjects had complete pre-transplant and post-transplant data available for all 5 FACES domains. The mean pre-transplant FACES score was 33.5 ± 8.8 (range: 23-44); the mean post-transplant score was 21.5 ± 5.9 (range: 14-32) and was statistically significantly lower than the pre-transplant score (P = 0.02). Among the individual domains, FT conferred a statistically significant improvement in aesthetic defect scores and exposed tissue scores (P ≤ 0.01) while, at the same time, it displayed no significant increases in co-morbidity (P = 0.17).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a significant deficiency in functional outcome reports thus far. Moreover, FT resulted in improved overall FACES score, with the most dramatic improvements noted in aesthetic defect and exposed tissue scores.
From the *Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; and †Department of Plastic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
Karan
K
Chopra
Srinivas M
SM
Susarla
Danielle
D
Goodrich
Steven
S
Bernard
James E
JE
Zins
Frank
F
Papay
W P Andrew
WP
Lee
Chad R
CR
Gordon
D000328:Adult; D064591:Allografts / Q000637:transplantation*; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003142:Communication; D004644:Emotions; D004954:Esthetics; D005145:Face / Q000601:surgery; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D054445:Facial Transplantation / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064827:Myocutaneous Flap / Q000637:transplantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult