Woman with flesh-eating bug will get new face from donor who died from euthanasia in world-first
The pioneering face transplant operation was carried out in a hospital in Spain and involved a team of 100 professionals. Doctors said they were left “speechless” by the generosity of the woman who died.
Carme lost her original face after a severe health complication from an insect bite (Image: David Zorrakino / Avalon)
A woman who lost her face to a condition inflicted by a flesh-eating bug has received a new one from a donor who died from euthanasia in a world-first.
The ground-breaking procedure took place at a Spanish hospital as a team of 100 medical professionals were involved in the transformation.
Medical staff have described themselves as “speechless” at the extraordinary generosity shown by the deceased woman. This landmark achievement occurred at Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron hospital, which has previously completed three face transplants before the more recent procedure.
The patient, only known only as Carme, had lost her face following a severe infection from an insect bite which had destroyed her nose and prevented her from opening her mouth properly, speaking and even eating normally. Four months following the procedure, Carme can now enjoy a coffee and breathe without anxiety.
While just over 50 such transplants have been conducted globally – with Vall d’Hebron being experienced in this area, having performed the first complete transplant in 2010 – Carme’s situation stands apart due to its unique circumstances. The donor who gave Carme her face had not only chosen to donate her organs, but had also specifically expressed her desire to give her face so another person could restore their ability to express themselves.
Medical professionals utilised 3D planning software to create guides which would precisely align with the bone and nerve structures of both women. Carme has received ongoing support from psychiatrists and psychologists, which has proved crucial in helping her adjust to her transformed reflection.
She has recovered her capacity to speak and experience sensation through her skin. Within a year, she anticipates feeling “fantastic ” but at present the straightforward act of enjoying a coffee on a Barcelona terrace already represents a massive victory.
“When I’m looking in the mirror at home, I’m thinking that I’m starting to look more like myself,” Carme said. The hospital’s transplant coordinator, Elisabeth Navas, described the donor as displaying “a level of maturity that leaves one speechless”.
“Someone who has decided to end their life dedicates one of their last wishes to a stranger and gives them a second chance of this magnitude,” Navas said. Facial transplant procedures of this nature require that the donor and recipient must share the same sex, blood group and have a similar head size. After the procedure Carme was required to remain in the hospital’s intensive care and burns unit for a month.
