BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Spanish recipient of the world's first full face transplant has appeared in public to thank surgeons, and his donor's family, according to media reports Tuesday.
Photo:Oscar, the world first full-face transplant patient, poses for the photographers as he attends a news conference at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona July 26, 2010. Oscar, who underwent the transplant in April by a 30-member medical team led by Spanish doctor Juan Barret, accidentally shot himself in the face five years ago.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
The patient, who is known as Oscar, appeared at a press conference at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona where he underwent surgery. He spoke with difficulty just two months after regaining his voice, "I am very happy and I want to thank the surgeons and the donors especially the man who gave me the new tissues I received."
He added that he was looking forward to tasting his favorite lamb dish and going for a beer with friends..
In the last four months Oscar has had to overcome two rejections of his new face following a process that saw him receive a transplant that included skin, facial muscles, nose, upper jaw and cheekbones.
At the moment Oscar is still unable to eat solid food and has problems speaking as he is still unable to control the central area of his lips..
The surgeon who carried out the operation, Joan Pere Barret, explained that his faces does, however, have feeling and that although he will still need many hours of rehabilitation, he should be able to talk and eat normally in the future.
Oscar is also unable to fully close his eyes, but once again the surgeon assured that he will be able to do so in the future.
"He will do that soon. He has recovered the movement in his eyebrows and he is also able to smile. There are two Oscars: one before and one after the operation," conformed Dr Barret.
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