The first face and hand transplant has been performed | L …

A 22-year-old American who suffered a serious traffic accident recently became a the first person in the world to receive a successful face and two hand transplant.

Joe DiMeo from New Jersey suffered burns to 80% of his body in July 2018, after falling asleep at the wheel while driving home after working all night. His vehicle overturned and then exploded.

While another driver passing by managed to save him from the burning car, the accident cost him the amputation of several fingers, severe scars on his face, and loss of lips and eyelids, which ended up affecting his vision and his ability to lead a normal, independent life.

He spent four months in the burns unit, where he received numerous life-saving transplants and blood transfusions. In addition, he had to be placed in an induced coma for two and a half months.

Face and hand transplant

The surgery took place on August 12, 2020, lasted approximately 23 hours, and involved a team of 96 people led by surgeon Eduardo Rodríguez, director of Langone Health’s face transplant program.

“We are all of the opinion that Joe is the perfect patient. He is the most motivated patient I have ever met “Rodriguez noted. This is the fourth face transplant performed by Rodríguez and the first of the hands performed under his direction.

In the history of medicine they are known only two simultaneous face and hand transplant attempts, but both failed. One of the patients died of complications from an infection, while the other had to have his transplanted hands amputated.

According to Rodríguez, a reactive antibody test indicated that DiMeo rejected 94% of donors, so finding a matched donor involved a nationwide search equivalent to “finding a needle in a haystack.”

This compatible donor was eventually found in Delaware, thanks to the Gift of Life donor program. DiMeo received a graft from both hands in the middle of his forearm, including the radius and ulna, three dominant nerves, six blood veins requiring vascular connections, and 21 tendons.

The operation also consisted of a total facial transplant, which included the forehead, eyebrows, both ears, nose, eyelids, lips and skull bones, cheekbones, nose and chin.

“Can’t wait to get back to work”

After the successful face and both hand transplant operation, DiMeo appreciated that he now has “a second chance at life”. “There is always light at the end of the tunnel, never give up,” the patient said Wednesday at a press conference hosted by Langone Health Medical Center at New York University, which realized this pioneering operation.

“I can’t wait to get back to work,” added DiMeo.