Boston — The woman who received a full face transplant after being attacked by a chimpanzee in 2009 has publicly revealed her new face while recovering at Brigham and Children’s Hospital, Boston, Medical News Today reports.
Charla Nash, 57, received the face transplant in May. The procedure, led by Bohdan Pomahac, M.D., included a team of 30 doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists. The transplant provided Ms. Nash with facial skin, a nose and lips, according to the report. Ms. Nash lost her upper jaw, nose, lips and most of the soft tissue on her face in the chimp attack, CNN.com reports. She was also left blind and lost her hands.
Surgeons had also performed a double hand transplant, but circulation problems forced doctors to later remove them. Ms. Nash may eventually be a candidate to receive another hand transplant, Medical News Today reports.
The full face transplant involved removing some tissue and attaching skin to underlying muscle in an effort to provide motor and sensory functions. The surgical team also transplanted the entire hard palate and teeth. Surgeons expect that the full face transplant will eventually allow Ms. Nash to express herself facially.
To view Ms. Nash’s new face, click here.
