64-year-old man becomes the oldest person in the world to be transplanted

A 64-year-old Canadian, half of whose face was swept away by a hunting accident, is the oldest person to have had a facial transplant. This was the first surgery of this type in the country.

Seven years ago, Maurice Desjardins of Gatineau, Que., Was disfigured by a hunting accident that damaged his facial nerves, muscles and bones.

The procedure was five years because it required replacing his jaws, teeth, lips, nose and face. The Borsuk team planned, practiced and waited for a suitable donor to be able to transplant the face of one man to another, Mens Health reported.

Desjardins had five reconstructive surgeries earlier, but despite the efforts of the doctors, he suffered from chronic pain and daily difficulties. The surgeons created an air passage by making a hole in the front part of his neck against his trachea-artery while he was facing breathing difficulties.

When Borsuk learned it, he was convinced that he could help. Recalling a long conversation that he had with Desjardins and his wife, Gaetane, to explain his proposal, the doctor said, "I said: Maurice, you could die on the table, or even just after l & # 39; transaction. He replied, "Do you think I have a life now?"

"I'm always judged by others, I prefer to die rather than live like that – no matter what face I'm going to have, as long as I look like everyone else," Desjardins told Borsuk, CBC News. reported.

According to the doctors, the surgery was the last chance to restore a normal life for Desjardins and they are very satisfied with the outcome of the surgery.

"This delicate operation is the result of years of concerted and meticulous work by an incredible team and the incredible courage and cooperation of the patient and his family. Through the combination of science, technology, engineering and art, we have tried to leverage the knowledge and experience of the pioneers in the field to achieve the best Facial transplant possible for our patient, "said Borsuk.

According to a statement from the University of Montreal, the man completely recovered his ability to breathe and started chewing with his new jaws, feeling his new nose and talking using his new lips.

"As a plastic surgeon, I know that, regardless of the size, facial wounds have a particularly symbolic aspect and are closely related to our identity. Facial disfigurement can have a detrimental effect on self-confidence and productivity, and as a result, this transplant offers tremendous hope and opportunity for our patient, "added Borsuk.

A 64-year-old Canadian, half of whose face was swept away by a hunting accident, is the oldest person to have had a facial transplant. In this image, a patient underwent minor surgery to receive chemotherapy at Misurata Cancer Center in Misurata, Libya, on August 5, 2018. Photo: REUTERS / Ismail Zitouny