She Views Life From Behind a New Face

Patient faces massive side effects

(NEWSER) - Isabelle Dinoire can smile a little, her doctors reported yesterday, a big accomplishment for the world’s first face transplant recipient. Her case shows that the controversial surgery can work—but it also highlighted the risks involved. Dinoire has dealt with two tissue-rejection episodes, two kidney failures, anemia and high blood pressure in the 18 months since the transplant in France. More»

But it won't pay for replacements

(NEWSER) - The Venezuelan government has offered to pay for the removal of defective breast implants for its own citizens, reports the BBC . The implants were produced by a now-defunct French company and are filled with industrial grade silicone—increasing their chance of rupturing. Replacement implants, however, will not be covered. More»

25-year-old construction worker gets new face

(NEWSER) - A Boston hospital has performed the nation's first full face transplant, the AP reports. Dallas Weins, a Texas construction worker badly disfigured and blinded in a 2008 power line accident, underwent a 15-hour operation in which parts of a deceased donor's face were transplanted onto his skull. Weins will not regain his sight, and will not resemble "either what he used to be or the donor," the lead plastic surgeon said. More»

Gunshot farmer gets total makeover

(NEWSER) - A farmer who accidentally shot himself is the first person in the world to receive a full face transplant. The man, in his 30s, is regaining the ability to speak and swallow after receiving facial skin and muscles, and a new jawbone, nose, palate, and cheekbones from a brain-dead donor, the Times of London reports. More»

(NEWSER) - A French man who received a groundbreaking face and double hand transplant to repair damage from severe burns has died from a massive infection, reports the Independent. The patient, 30, suffered a heart attack during surgery to battle a super bug invasion in his face. Despite the problem, his body did not reject the transplants, said doctors. He was the sixth person in the world to receive a face transplant. One other died in China after ceasing drugs to fight rejection of transplanted organs. More»