28.03.2011

Injured painter gets new face

A 25 year old man whose face was badly burnt in an aerial lift accident in 2008 has become the United States first full face transplant recipient.

Dallas Wiens was given the donated face last week at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Wiens was injured in November 2008 when the platform of the aerial lift he was using to paint the Ridglea Baptist Church in Fort Worth Texas drifted into high voltage overhead power lines. His head came into contact with the wires and the resulting burns literally destroyed his face.

Plastic surgeon Bohdan Pomahac and a team of around 30 worked for more than 15 hours to replace Wiens’ nose, lips, facial skin, facial muscles and the nerves.

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