A man whose face was disfigured after being attacked by a black bear underwent partial face transplant surgery in China yesterday (April 14), marking the country’s first face transplant surgery and the second successful case in the world.
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A doctor shows the image of the first face transplant patient in the country – Photo: Xinhua |
The surgery was performed yesterday and concluded this morning. The hospital conducting the surgery stated that, pending confirmation from specialists, China will be the second country in the world to successfully perform such a procedure.
The first country to carry out a face transplant was France. In that case, doctors in Amiens performed surgery to replace the lips, chin, and nose of a patient whose face was disfigured due to a dog bite. The patient has since recovered and returned to a normal life.
In a statement from Xijing Hospital (located in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China), the patient, Li Guoxing, 30 years old, received a new cheek, upper lip, nose, and eyebrow from a donor. Details about the donor have not been disclosed.
“This surgery is even more complex than the first face transplant in France last November</em," said Han Yan, deputy chief of the surgical department at Xijing Hospital.
“The patient is currently in fairly good condition,” officials from Xijing Hospital reported. “The surgery was successful. The wound is expected to heal within a week.”
If successful, this surgery will further enhance China’s standing in the fields of science, medicine, and biology. Over the past decade, the Chinese government has significantly invested in advanced scientific fields, from space exploration to biotechnology.
