MONTREAL (WSVN) — A Canadian man has received a face transplant, allowing him to eat, breath and speak normally for the first time in almost a decade.
According to Fox 5, the 64-year-old man suffered a hunting accident which left him severely disfigured seven years ago. He underwent five reconstructive surgeries through the years, but doctors determined his best chance was to have a face transplant to restore his jaws, facial muscles, nerves, teeth, lips and nose.
In May, Dr. Daniel Borsuk, a surgeon with the University of Montreal, and a team of 100 medical professionals at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont led a 30 hour surgery that reconstructed the man’s face.
“This delicate operation is the result of years of concerted, meticulous work by an incredible team and the incredible bravery and cooperation of the patient and his family,” Dr. Borsuk said in a news release obtained by Fox 5. “Through the combination of science, technology, engineering and art, we attempted to build on the knowledge and experience of the pioneers in the field to perform the best facial transplant possible for our patient.”
Doctors said the patient is now recovering, and has regained the ability to breathe and chew, smell and speak.
The hospital said the man is the oldest person to undergo a face transplant.
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