In Spain, a patient received a new face thanks to a donor who underwent euthanasia. The procedure, performed by a team of approximately one hundred specialists, became an important milestone in world medicine and opens up new possibilities for complex transplantation and reconstructive surgery. This was reported by Euronews, writes UNN.
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At the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, the world's first face transplant from a person who underwent euthanasia was successfully performed. According to experts, this operation has become an important international event in the field of reconstructive surgery and complex transplantology.
The procedure was performed on a patient who developed severe facial tissue necrosis due to an infection, which impaired basic functions — breathing, eating, and speech. The transplant allowed for partial facial restoration and the initiation of the patient's functional rehabilitation.
The donor clearly expressed her wish to donate organs and tissues after receiving assistance in ending her life, which allowed medical teams to plan the procedure in advance. Such prior coordination facilitated the technical preparation for the transplant, including the precise adaptation of facial tissues.
The operation was led by Dr. Joan Pere Barret, head of the Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit at Vall d'Hebron. It involved about one hundred specialists, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and specialists in microsurgery, immunology, and mental health.
As Dr. Barret explained, this type of intervention requires extremely complex preparation and long-term observation, as it involves the transplantation of skin, muscles, nerves, and bone structures, as well as continuous immunosuppressive treatment to prevent transplant rejection.
The hospital emphasizes that the procedure was performed in strict accordance with current ethical and legal protocols, and particularly notes the generosity of the donor and her family, without whom this operation would have been impossible.
Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona is one of the world's leading centers for face transplantation. In 2010, the world's first full face transplant was performed here. Since then, several similar operations have been performed, solidifying the clinic's international leadership in complex reconstructive surgery.