Now the saying that the face cannot be changed… is probably about to change. Medical science has made such a leap that now even a person’s face can be changed. The country’s leading hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, is preparing to conduct Asia’s first face transplant.

Dr. Manish Singhal, head of the burn department of AIIMS, told in a special conversation with News 18 India that this surgery is not going to be easy at all, but the team is moving ahead with full preparation. If this operation is successful, it will prove to be a milestone in the medical history of India.

Operation may last for 24 to 48 hours
According to Dr. Manish Singhal, face transplant is not a normal surgery. It may take at least 24 to 48 hours to do this. It depends on how many parts of the face – skin, bone, veins or muscles – have to be changed. In this operation, plastic surgeon, anesthetist, microvascular surgeon and many specialist doctors will work together on the patient.

Which patients can get a new identity?
Dr. Shivangi Saha, Assistant Professor, Burn and Plastic Surgery Department of AIIMS told News 18 India that these people may need face transplant. Like acid attack victims, seriously burnt patients, people who lose their faces in gun shots or accidents. Along with this, patients who have difficulty in breathing due to shrinking of their skin.

This surgery will prove to be a boon for burnt face
Dr. Shivangi says that many times after burning the face becomes so deformed that improvement is not possible through normal plastic surgery. In such cases, face transplant is the only option left. Also, it is important that the gender of the donor and the patient is the same, so that there can be a better match of facial structure and tissues.

What is face transplant?
According to Dr. D. Bhowmik, head of the Nephrology department of AIIMS, face transplant is a special surgery, in which the entire or partial face of the patient is replaced with facial tissues donated by a deceased person. In medical language it is called Vascular Is Composite Allograft (VCA). It includes skin, bones, nerves, blood vessels, muscles. This process is much like kidney transplant. After the operation, the patient has to take such medicines, which prevent the body from rejecting the new face.

It is also important to be mentally strong
Face transplant is not only a physical change but also an emotional change. Dr. Preeti K, Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, AIIMS, while talking to News 18 India, said that it is most important to prepare the patient mentally. He is given complete information about his condition before and after the operation, so that he can accept the new face and start a new life with confidence.