Face Transplant
The first human being to receive a face transplant has been in the news recently. Very cool technology. The French woman had her face mauled by a dog and repair of the damage was beyond conventional surgical techniques.
But -- as with any story, there is the backstory and
BBC News has it:
Face op patient 'said thank you'
The first patient to undergo a face transplant thanked her doctors as soon as she came round after the operation.
The woman, who sustained her injuries when her dog mauled her is "doing well" and has been able to eat strawberries and chocolate, doctors say.
The medical team who carried out the operation on Sunday in Amiens, France, say they were justified in undertaking the ground-breaking surgery.
And the backstory:
The medics denied reports she had been attacked while she was unconscious after a suicide attempt.
Transplant surgeon Dr Jean-Michel Dubernard said the woman had taken a pill to try to sleep after a family argument, and was bitten by her dog during the night.
"There was no suicide".
The pet was later put down, against the family's wishes.
Anyone that is sleeping that soundly must have taken more than "one pill". An injury like this is not done with one gigantic bite -- dogs tend to grab and shake and this dog was probably frantic with worry. That is was put down is a shame -- the dog probably saved this woman's life...
Posted by DaveH at December 2, 2005 2:53 PM