CNN: World’s first whole-eye and partial face transplant gives Arkansas man new hope

[China]

World’s first whole-eye and partial face transplant gives Arkansas man new hope

 

It was a moment Meagan James never expected to witness.

 

A surgical team at NYU Langone Health in New York had performed the world’s first successful whole-eye transplant in a living person: her husband, Aaron James.

 

After an accident at work led to the loss of his left eye and part of his face, Aaron was given a new window to his soul, as well as a partial face transplant.

 

When Meagan peered into her husband’s new eye for the first time, she noticed the post-surgery swelling and saw that the eye was brown. Aaron naturally has ocean-blue eyes.

 

She also saw his new nose, lips and cheek, which already had some beard stubble growing. She saw a face filled with gratitude, and that’s when the emotion set in.

 

She was happy for her husband of 20 years.

 

“It was a crazy, great, weird, strange, ecstatic, happy feeling,” Meagan said. “I was just happy he made it through, and everything was good in the moment.”

 

On that day in late May, a team of more than 140 surgeons at NYU Langone Health completed Aaron’s transplantation procedure, which lasted about 21 hours. The surgery included transplanting the entire left eye and parts of the face from a single donor. It was a medical first.

 

Surgeon Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez with Aaron James before his whole-eye and partial face transplant.
 

Aaron James, 46, with surgeon Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who performed his whole-eye and partial face transplantation.
 

Click on the link for the full article

[CousinsCowgirl84]

Big improvement. Wonder what the accident was.. 

[DCSaints_fan]

If Brad Pitt dies I’ll gladly take his face

[China]

Unavailable for comment

[Captain Wiggles]

I saw face/off when it came out in theaters. I remember it being awful. Apparently it's being remade. 😬

 

140 surgeons over 21 hours. Pretty dang impressive.