| Dallas Wiens | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 6, 1985 Fort Worth, Texas |
| Occupation | construction worker |
| Known for | first full face transplant in the US |
| Website | |
| dallaswiens.com | |
Dallas Wiens (born May 6, 1985) is the first United States recipient of a full face transplant, performed at the Brigham and Women's Hospital during the week of March 14, 2011.[1] It was the first such operation in United States and the third[2] in the world.[3]
Contents |
Wiens was critically burned by a high voltage wire on November 13, 2008, when he was painting Ridglea Baptist Church in Fort Worth.[4] He was standing inside the cherry picker when it made contact with a high-voltage wire.[5] Transported by helicopter to Parkland Memorial Hospital, surgeons spent 36 hours over two days working to save Wiens’ life.
Wiens was left permanently blind and without lips, a nose or eyebrows.[6] Doctors told the family that Wiens likely would be paralyzed from the neck down and would never speak or produce enough saliva to eat solid food. They put him in medically-induced coma for 3 months. After awakening, he made unprecedented progress and left the hospital in spring 2009. In June 2010 he started walking.[7]
In March 2011, a transplant team of more than 30 doctors, including eight surgeons and doctors and nurses from multiple disciplines, led by MUDr. Bohdan Pomahač, performed a full face transplant, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. It took 15 hours. Wiens' sight couldn't be recovered but he has been able to talk on the phone and smell.[8] This operation was paid for with the help of the US defense department. They hope to learn from this procedure and use what they learn to help soldiers suffering from facial injuries.[9][6] Wiens had no insurance when he was injured. The new federal health care law allowed him to get insurance coverage under his father's plan.[6]
Wiens has undergone about two dozen operations since the accident in 2008.[10] He will need more surgery in the future.
On May 9, 2011 Wiens made his first public appearance wearing dark sunglasses. Dallas said that his young daughter told him "Daddy, you're so handsome.", when she saw him after the operation.[1] He also said; (regarding his new face) "It feels as if it has become my own."[3]