Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTeenage Girl in China Grows New Face on Her Chest
Seventeen-year-old Xu Jianmei, a girl from a small fishing town in Chinas Fujian province, became disfigured after getting burned in a fire when she was only five years old. At the time, her parents were unable to afford treatment, which meant that Xu would miss the window where optimal healing from skin grafts could occur. For most of her life, Xu has been missing a chin, eyelids, and a portion of her right ear.
In 2012 she was offered the opportunity to have her life changed beyond all recognition. Doctors proposed that they use blood vessel fascia from her leg in order to grow enough skin needed for her face. A balloon was placed in her chest in order to expand and stretch the skin as it grew. The process of growing the skin took several months and the doctors had to ensure that the skin could stay alive in its new location before the next steps could be taken.
On October 14, after an 8-hour-long surgery, Xus commitment paid off and she received facial reconstruction, complete with her new skin. There is currently considerable swelling from the surgery, but over the next few weeks, doctors expect the swelling to decrease and the scars to minimize as the healing process continues.
The doctors who operated on Xu are confident that she will be able to express herself more completely than ever before, as she will be able to smile for the first time since she was five years old and she will eventually even be able to blush.
Last month, it was revealed that doctors were using a similar technique on a 22-year-old man, also from Fujian, who has been growing a new nose for transplant on his forehead following a devastating automobile accident. His doctors are pleased with the progress and say the surgery will be performed soon.
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/teenage-girl-china-grows-new-face-her-chest-0
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 1336 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (9)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Teenage Girl in China Grows New Face on Her Chest (Original Post)
Playinghardball
Oct 2013
OP
Journeyman
(15,038 posts)1. These are the days of miracle and wonder. . .
pnwmom
(108,990 posts)2. I'm happy for her this worked, but what a shame she couldn't afford
the medical care sooner after the accident, when she was at the optimal time for surgery.
Warpy
(111,329 posts)3. They've done the nose on the forehead surgeries for years here in the US
Full face transplants will still be useful in people who have lost underlying muscle.
However, growing new facial skin to replace skin full of keloids is a fantastic idea. I haven't seen it done here.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)4. I love science!