Full-face transplant lets man smell again

A man who was disfigured in a shooting accident 15 years ago is finally beginning to regain his sense of smell after an extensive full-face transplant in the United States.

 

Richard Lee Norris, 37, received donor skin from his scalp to his neck and a new nose, tongue, jawbones and teeth following a 36-hour surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

 

Before the surgery, Norris had lost his lips and nose and had only partial use of his mouth, tech site Dvice.com reported.

 

“Norris’s new face appears to be a blend of his own and those of the donor, who also provided five other live-saving organs to various recipients,” it added.

 

In 1997, Norris was disfigured in a gun accident, and shut himself from the world because of the extent of his injuries.

 

But even after the surgery, Norris will have to take anti-rejection medication for the organs from the unnamed donor, who had matched Norris’ blood type, skin color and bone structure.

 

This is despite the team at the University of Maryland working for the past decade on improving transplant methodology.

 

On the other hand, Dvice.com noted this was not the first full-face transplant, the first being performed in 2010 by surgeons in Spain.

 

For Norris’ surgery, Dvice.com said the Department of Defense’s Office of Naval Research funded the work with eight grants totaling $13 million.

 

“Their hope is that improvements in the field of facial transplants, will be able to help injured troops returning from combat,” it said.

 

Transformation

 

While Norris is not able to fully speak yet, he has seen his new face in the mirror - and hugged his surgeon.

 

“One can only imagine what he is feeling seeing his transformation,” Dvice.com said.

 

A separate article on The Baltimore Sun website, on the other hand, quoted one of his surgeons as saying: “This is so cool.” — TJD, GMA News