Texas man receives first full face transplant

ABC World News (3/21, story 9, 0:35, Sawyer) reported that Dallas Wiens, of Fort Worth, TX, is "the recipient of a first full face transplant." Last week, Wiens, who "lost most of his features in 2008 when his head touched a high voltage wire," was the recipient of "a new nose, lips, skin, muscles, and nerves thanks to an anonymous donor and the transplant team at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston."

The AP (3/22, Contreras, Marchione) reports that Wiens, age 25, received the transplant "from an unidentified dead person in an operation paid for by the US military, which wants to use what is learned to help soldiers with severe facial wounds." Plastic surgeon Bohdan Pomahac, MD, who "led a team of more than 30 doctors, nurses and other staff...during the 15-hour operation last week," said that "Wiens will not resemble 'either what he used to be or the donor,' but something in between."

On its front page, the Boston Globe (3/22, A1, Lazar) reports, "While his case is the nation's first full face transplant -- the new face extends from his mid-scalp to his neck -- it is the 14th full or partial facial transplant in the world." In 2008, "the Cleveland Clinic...performed the first surgery in the United States, replacing about 80 percent of the face of Connie Culp, who was injured by a shotgun blast. The Brigham team performed the country's second, completing a partial transplant in 2009."

The Los Angeles Times (3/21, Forgione) "Booster Shots" blog reported that Wiens is now "on the road to recovery, his doctors have told the media. And while there have been only a handful of such surgeries worldwide, doctors now grapple with drafting guidelines" for future facial transplant procedures.

Also covering the story are the Boston Herald (3/22, McConville, Dwinell, Hinton), the USA Today (3/21, Winter) "On Deadline" blog, the CNN (3/21, Falco) "The Chart" blog, and the Dallas Morning News (3/21, Peterson) "The Scoop" blog.

Link to complete story on CNN with pictures: Full Face Transplant