I find it incredible the work that surgeons can do to allow a person a semblance of a normal life.Spanish face transplant man goes public to thank surgeons
Spanish man Rafael thanks his doctor Tomas Gomez Cia after undergoing a face transplant in Seville / AFP Source: AFP
A SPANIARD who had a face transplant has publicly thanked the surgeons who operated on him.
The patient named only as Rafael said, "I am full of joy and happiness. I want to thank the family of the donor and the medical team."
Rafael was the second person in Spain and the ninth in the world to receive a partial face transplant.
The operation was carried out after Rafael was left with a series of tumors on his face from a rare condition that caused cells to grow abnormally.
He appeared before the media at the Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Seville, southern Spain, where he underwent a 30-hour operation on January 26 and 27.
He has since been released from hospital and says he can feel pain, heat and cold in his face - and has even started shaving.
Rafael still has difficulty in talking clearly as he is not expected to regain complete control over his tongue for another three months. His face is also still inflamed.
He asked for his privacy to be respected, saying, "Please, after this press conference I want you to leave me, my family and my friends in peace."
The doctors said the transplant involved the patient receiving donor tissue for the lower two-thirds of his face.
In late March, a team of 30 took 24 hours to complete the world's first complete face transplant in France.
http://www.news.com.au/world/spanish-fa ... 5862343562
Bloody good on them and bloody good for him.
