World's first full-face transplant recipient is applauded

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The world's first full-face transplant recipient is revealed

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One does not need to be a member of the medical field to grasp fully the bravery it took for the world's first full-face transplant recipient to reveal himself.  'Oscar' faced his public on Monday at a press conference held at a Spanish hospital on Monday.

Last March, specialists at the University Hospital Vall d'Hebron performed the transplant on 'Oscar' in an operation that took 24 hours.

Oscar's face was severely injured in an accident. He had endured a total of nine failed operations before being considered for the transplant.

Surgeons transplanted the entire facial skin and muscles, nose, lips, maxilla, palate, all teeth, cheekbones, and the mandible through plastic surgery and micro-neurovascular reconstructive surgery techniques, according to the hospital.

"I can't even fathom the horror this poor man has been through," stated Aubrey, one of many Internet well-wishers. "I'm so happy for him that this was available to give him back some semblance of a real life.

"It's a miracle."

Although this is the first total face transplant, there have been partial face transplants in France, the United States, China and Spain.

SOURCE: CNN