After a horrible accident, the facial graft restores the man's ability to breathe, to eat, to speak – History



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– Seven years ago, a hunting accident left a Canadian severely disfigured, in constant pain and difficulty breathing, eating, sleeping and talking.

But four months after undergoing a 30-hour operation involving more than 100 health professionals, this 64-year-old man can breathe, chew, smell and talk properly.

And he has a new face.

Dr. Daniel Borsuk, plastic surgeon affiliated with the Université de Montréal, led a team of surgeons at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont in May to repair the face, jaw muscles, teeth, lips and the nose of the man.

"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," said Dr. Borsuk in a press release. . "Through the combination of science, technology, engineering, and art, we have tried to leverage the knowledge and experience of pioneers in the field to achieve the best facial graft possible for our patient. "

The man, whose identity is kept private, underwent five reconstructive surgeries in the years following the shooting, the hospital said. But surgeons decided that facial transplantation was ultimately the best option for the man to restore his jaws, facial muscles and nerves, teeth, lips and nose.

"Four months after the intervention, the patient is doing well," the hospital said in the statement. "He fully recovered his ability to breathe and started chewing with his new jaws, feeling his new nose and talking using his new lips."

The patient is the oldest person to undergo a facial transplant, said the hospital.

Since 2005, another 40 people have undergone the extremely complex procedure.

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