Face Transplants

Dr. Siemionow, a 55 year old doctor, has been approved from the 13-member Institutional Review board with a unanimous vote, to begin the first ever face transplant. Siemionow explained the reason for this type of transplant is, "to give people horribly disfigured by burns, accidents or other tragedies a chance at a new life" (http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0918facetransplant18.html). The person undergoing surgery would not look identical to the cadaver in which parts were taken, but they would have similar features. The cadaver is matched based on tissue type, age, sex, and skin color. The surgery would take eight to ten hours and the person would be hospitalized for ten to fourteen days. This surgery is important because it gives people who have had serious accidents a second chance at a normal life. People should be informed of this information because this type of surgery could have been used six years ago with a two year old boy who was attacked by a pit bull. He had a 28 hour surgery that will leave him far from living a normal life. With this surgical breakthrough, it could potentially save thousands of people from suffering needlessly with a severe facial defect. While some may not agree with or fully understand the need for this type of surgery, those that would find this surgical procedure beneficial will be able to live a life that would have been unavailable to them without this lifealtering operation.