title: Ethical Considerations of Whole-Eye Transplantation.
abstract: Whole eye transplantation (WET) remains experimental. Long presumed impossible, recent scientific advances regarding WET suggest that it may become a clinical reality. However, the ethical implications of WET as an experimental therapeutic strategy remain largely unexplored. This article evaluates the ethical considerations surrounding WET as an emerging experimental treatment for vision loss. A thorough review of published literature pertaining to WET was performed; ethical issues were identified during review of the articles.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Wesley N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Sivak
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Edward H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Maxine R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Schuman
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Mario G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Solari
authors.affiliation: Duquesne University, Center for Healthcare Ethics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magill
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. Washingtonkm@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Kia M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Washington
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D026686:Beneficence; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005123:Eye / Q000637:transplantation*; D054445:Facial Transplantation / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000941:ethics*; D012935:Social Justice