First full face transplant in the U.S. on its way to success

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 21 2011

In a first of its kind, Dallas Wiens, a 25 year old construction worker who had suffered severe burns to his head two and a half years ago and lost his face, was given a new face by transplant. Until now he had a face void of features, except for a lipless mouth and a goatee beard. Even his eye sockets were smoothed over with skin taken from other parts of his body. This was after 22 surgical procedures.

This new face transplant took place last week when a team of more than 30 doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston worked for more than 15 hours to give Wiens a new face. He also got skin and the muscles and nerves needed to animate it.

Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, team leader and director of the Brigham and Woman's Hospital Burn Center said, “Dallas is doing great, meeting all milestones.” Wiens is the second person to have a face transplant at Brigham and Woman's Hospital. James Maki received a partial transplant in 2005, also led by Pomahac. According to Pomahac light dressings currently cover the incision lines on Wiens’s new face and, once it has healed, his appearance will be "somewhere in the middle" between his own and that of the donor.

Pomahac went on to say that Wiens may regain up to 90 percent of the sensation in his forehead, right cheek and lips. He added that apart from looks and the ability to feel, the face is also critical for breathing, speaking, eating and interacting socially.

Spanish doctors said they performed the world's first "full" face transplant last April, one involving the nose, lips, palate, teeth, cheekbones and jaw. The Department of Defense contributed $3.4 million to Brigham and Woman's Hospital and covered Wiens’s procedure. Wiens joined the Army but had to take a medical discharge because of knee problems.

Pomahac said two people are currently waiting for face transplants.