1
|
Kaakour AH, Rattani A. Current Ethical Considerations of Human Whole Eye Transplantation is Short-Sighted. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2024; 24:92-94. [PMID: 38635445 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2024.2328278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
|
2
|
Laspro M, Thys E, Chaya B, Rodriguez ED, Kimberly LL. First-in-Human Whole-Eye Transplantation: Ensuring an Ethical Approach to Surgical Innovation. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2024; 24:59-73. [PMID: 38181210 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2296407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
As innovations in the field of vascular composite allotransplantation (VCA) progress, whole-eye transplantation (WET) is poised to transition from non-human mammalian models to living human recipients. Present treatment options for vision loss are generally considered suboptimal, and attendant concerns ranging from aesthetics and prosthesis maintenance to social stigma may be mitigated by WET. Potential benefits to WET recipients may also include partial vision restoration, psychosocial benefits related to identity and social integration, improvements in physical comfort and function, and reduced surgical risk associated with a biologic eye compared to a prosthesis. Perioperative and postoperative risks of WET are expected to be comparable to those of facial transplantation (FT), and may be similarly mitigated by immunosuppressive protocols, adequate psychosocial support, and a thorough selection process for both the recipient and donor. To minimize the risks associated with immunosuppressive medications, the first attempts in human recipients will likely be performed in conjunction with a FT. If first-in-human attempts at combined FT-WET prove successful and the biologic eye survives, this opens the door for further advancement in the field of vision restoration by means of a viable surgical option. This analysis integrates recent innovations in WET research with the existing discourse on the ethics of surgical innovation and offers preliminary guidance to VCA programs considering undertaking WET in human recipients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Erika Thys
- University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rajab TK. Partial heart transplantation: Growing heart valve implants for children. Artif Organs 2024; 48:326-335. [PMID: 37849378 PMCID: PMC10960715 DOI: 10.1111/aor.14664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Heart valves serve a vital hemodynamic function to ensure unidirectional blood flow. Additionally, native heart valves serve biological functions such as growth and self-repair. Heart valve implants mimic the hemodynamic function of native heart valves, but are unable to fulfill their biological functions. We developed partial heart transplantation to deliver heart valve implants that fulfill all functions of native heart valves. This is particularly advantageous for children, who require growing heart valve implants. This invited review outlines the past, present and future of partial heart transplantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taufiek Konrad Rajab
- Division of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Overbey DM, Rajab TK, Turek JW. Partial Heart Transplantation - How to Change the System. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu 2024; 27:100-105. [PMID: 38522865 DOI: 10.1053/j.pcsu.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Partial heart transplantation is the first clinically successful approach to deliver growing heart valve implants. To date, 13 clinical partial heart transplants have been performed. However, turning partial heart transplantation into a routine procedure that is available to all children who would benefit from growing heart valve implants poses formidable logistical challenges. Firstly, a supply for partial heart transplant donor grafts needs to be developed. This challenge is complicated by the scarcity of donor organs. Importantly, the donor pools for orthotopic heart transplants, partial heart transplants and cadaver homografts overlap. Secondly, partial heart transplants need to be allocated. Factors relevant for equitable allocation include the indication, anatomical fit, recipient clinical status and time on the wait list. Finally, partial heart transplantation will require regulation and oversight, which only recently has been undertaken by the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates human cellular and tissue-based products. Overcoming these challenges will require a change in the system. Once this is achieved, partial heart transplantation could open new horizons for children who require growing tissue implants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas M Overbey
- Congenital Heart Surgery Research and Training Laboratory, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.; Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Taufiek K Rajab
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.; Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Joseph W Turek
- Congenital Heart Surgery Research and Training Laboratory, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.; Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina..
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Huelsboemer L, Stögner VA, Hosseini H, Hauc S, Boroumand S, Parikh N, Blood A, Mookerjee V, Kauke-Navarro M, Nizzi MC, Pomahac B. An update on long-term mental health in eight face transplant recipients - A single center experience. Int J Psychiatry Med 2023:912174231225764. [PMID: 38152028 DOI: 10.1177/00912174231225764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Face transplantation is a groundbreaking and complex surgical intervention offering profound physical and psychological benefits to patients with severe facial disfigurements. This report provides an update on the long-term psychosocial outcome of eight face transplant recipients. METHOD All transplant recipients were initially transplanted at Brigham and Women´s Hospital (Boston, USA) between 2011 and 2020 and are seen as outpatient patients at Yale New Haven Hospital (New Haven, USA). A mixed-methods approach was used to assess the psychological well-being of these patients. The Short-Form 12, Brief-COPE, EQ-VAS and CES-D were administered between October 2022 and October 2023. RESULTS Older age of face transplant recipients was significantly and positively associated with better mental health and increased use of both emotional and instrumental support (Brief-COPE). The initial enhancement in patients' self-reported quality of life, as assessed by the EQVAS, declined on the EQ-VAS score at the last follow-up period. Similarly, an increase in depression score was observed (CES-D score) up through the last follow-up assessment. Both of the latter results, however, did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS These results underscore the importance of ongoing psychological support throughout the long-term journey of recovery for face transplant recipients. They emphasized the need for a comprehensive, patient-centered approach that also addresses the complex psychological dimensions and contributes to our understanding of the mental health dynamics involved in face transplantation, underscoring the need for guidelines and continued research in this evolving field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lioba Huelsboemer
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Viola A Stögner
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Helia Hosseini
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sacha Hauc
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sam Boroumand
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Neil Parikh
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- University of Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexa Blood
- Transplant Department, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vikram Mookerjee
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Martin Kauke-Navarro
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Bohdan Pomahac
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Berkane Y, Hayau J, von Reiterdank IF, Kharga A, Charlès L, van der Molen AM, Coert JH, Bertheuil N, Randolph M, Cetrulo CL, Longchamp A, Lellouch AG, Uygun K. Supercooling: A Promising Technique for Prolonged Organ Preservation in Solid Organ Transplantation, and Early Perspectives in Vascularized Composite Allografts. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1269706. [PMID: 38682043 PMCID: PMC11052586 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1269706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Ex-vivo preservation of transplanted organs is undergoing spectacular advances. Machine perfusion is now used in common practice for abdominal and thoracic organ transportation and preservation, and early results are in favor of substantially improved outcomes. It is based on decreasing ischemia-reperfusion phenomena by providing physiological or sub-physiological conditions until transplantation. Alternatively, supercooling techniques involving static preservation at negative temperatures while avoiding ice formation have shown encouraging results in solid organs. Here, the rationale is to decrease the organ's metabolism and need for oxygen and nutrients, allowing for extended preservation durations. The aim of this work is to review all advances of supercooling in transplantation, browsing the literature for each organ. A specific objective was also to study the initial evidence, the prospects, and potential applications of supercooling preservation in Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA). This complex entity needs a substantial effort to improve long-term outcomes, marked by chronic rejection. Improving preservation techniques is critical to ensure the favorable evolution of VCAs, and supercooling techniques could greatly participate in these advances.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanis Berkane
- Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Hôpital Sud, CHU Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
- MOBIDIC, UMR INSERM 1236, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Justine Hayau
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Irina Filz von Reiterdank
- Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Center for Engineering for Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anil Kharga
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Engineering for Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura Charlès
- Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Mink van der Molen
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J Henk Coert
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Bertheuil
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Hôpital Sud, CHU Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
- MOBIDIC, UMR INSERM 1236, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Mark Randolph
- Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Curtis L. Cetrulo
- Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alban Longchamp
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Engineering for Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Transplant Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandre G. Lellouch
- Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Korkut Uygun
- Shriners Children’s Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Engineering for Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Transplant Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Knoedler L, Knoedler S, Panayi AC, Lee CAA, Sadigh S, Huelsboemer L, Stoegner VA, Schroeter A, Kern B, Mookerjee V, Lian CG, Tullius SG, Murphy GF, Pomahac B, Kauke-Navarro M. Cellular activation pathways and interaction networks in vascularized composite allotransplantation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1179355. [PMID: 37266446 PMCID: PMC10230044 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1179355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is an evolving field of reconstructive surgery that has revolutionized the treatment of patients with devastating injuries, including those with limb losses or facial disfigurement. The transplanted units are typically comprised of different tissue types, including skin, mucosa, blood and lymphatic vasculature, muscle, and bone. It is widely accepted that the antigenicity of some VCA components, such as skin, is particularly potent in eliciting a strong recipient rejection response following transplantation. The fine line between tolerance and rejection of the graft is orchestrated by different cell types, including both donor and recipient-derived lymphocytes, macrophages, and other immune and donor-derived tissue cells (e.g., endothelium). Here, we delineate the role of different cell and tissue types during VCA rejection. Rejection of VCA grafts and the necessity of life-long multidrug immunosuppression remains one of the major challenges in this field. This review sheds light on recent developments in decoding the cellular signature of graft rejection in VCA and how these may, ultimately, influence the clinical management of VCA patients by way of novel therapies that target specific cellular processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Knoedler
- Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Samuel Knoedler
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Adriana C. Panayi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Microsurgery, Burn Center, BG Trauma Center Ludwigshafen, University of Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Catherine A. A. Lee
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sam Sadigh
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lioba Huelsboemer
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Viola A. Stoegner
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Plastic, Aesthetic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas Schroeter
- Department of Plastic, Aesthetic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Barbara Kern
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vikram Mookerjee
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Christine G. Lian
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stefan G. Tullius
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - George F. Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bohdan Pomahac
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Martin Kauke-Navarro
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Panayi AC, Knoedler S, Kauke-Navarro M, Haug V, Obed D, Pomahac B. Face transplantation: a bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PLASTIC SURGERY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00238-023-02045-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
|
9
|
Facial Allograft Donation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Family Members. J Craniofac Surg 2023; 34:942-948. [PMID: 36744885 DOI: 10.1097/scs.0000000000009156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Facial allograft transplantation can be regarded as a particular and complex type of donation because of its perceptibility and the importance of the face as an identity characteristic. As research on this topic is currently lacking, the objective of this study is to explore the experiences of the family members of the donor in facial allograft donation. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted separately with the donor's family members and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Six themes were identified: (1) Contrasting facial donation to that of more commonly donated organs; (2) Consenting to facial donation; (3) Expectations towards the recipient of the facial graft; (4) Expectations and consequences of restoration of the donor's face; (5) Relationship with the medical team during the process; and (6) Media attention. The findings of our study help to better support donor families through the facial donation process and to improve facial transplantation procedures.
Collapse
|
10
|
Kiukas EL, Sipilä M, Manninen A, Ylä-Kotola T, Lindford A, Lassus P. Comprehensive outcome analysis in two composite face transplants in Helsinki. Have we succeeded? J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2023; 80:148-155. [PMID: 37028242 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2023.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a need to define what is success after face transplantation (FT). We have previously created a four-component criteria tool to define indications for FT. In this study, we used the same criteria to evaluate the overall outcome of our first two patients after FT. PATIENTS AND METHODS Preoperative analysis of our two bimaxillary FT patients was compared to the results at four and six years post-transplantation. The facial deficiency impact was divided into four categories: (1) anatomical regions, (2) facial functions (mimic muscles, sensation, oral functions, speech, breathing, periorbital functions), (3) esthetics, and (4) impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Immunological status and complications were also evaluated. RESULTS For both patients, near-normal anatomical restoration of almost all the facial regions (except the periorbital and intraoral regions) was achieved. The majority of the facial function parameters improved in both patients (patient 2 to a near-normal level). The esthetic score improved from severely disfigured to impaired (patient 1) and to near to normal (patient 2). Quality of life was severely lowered prior to FT and improved after FT but was still affected. Neither patient has experienced acute rejection episodes during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that our patients have benefitted from FT, and we have succeeded. Time will reveal whether we have achieved long-term success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma-Lotta Kiukas
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Matias Sipilä
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Atte Manninen
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuija Ylä-Kotola
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrew Lindford
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Patrik Lassus
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), University of Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abousy M, Jenny H, Xun H, Khavanin N, Creighton F, Byrne P, Cooney D, Redett R, Yang R. Policies and Price Tags: The Public's Perception of Face Transplantation and Its Funding. Craniomaxillofac Trauma Reconstr 2022; 15:295-303. [PMID: 36387319 PMCID: PMC9647380 DOI: 10.1177/19433875211047025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Study Design Survey study. Objective Facial vascularized composite allotransplantation (FVCA) can cost over 1 million dollars per procedure and is usually not covered by insurance, yet this financial burden and public opinion surrounding this procedure are not well understood. This study is the first to evaluate the layperson's opinions on the allocation of financial responsibility for FVCA and its inclusion in organ donation registries. Methods Eight hundred and fifteen laypersons were surveyed through MTurk to assess their agreement with 11 statements about FVCA perceptions, funding, and inclusion on organ donation registries. Responses were analyzed with the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Dunn's test. Results The majority of respondents were supportive of FVCA in 10 out of 11 statements (P < 0.0001). They would be willing to undergo FVCA if they suffered from facial disfigurement; believe FVCA is as important as other organ transplants; believe faces should be included on the organ donation registry; support insurance companies providing coverage for FVCA regardless of trauma etiology; support tax dollars funding the procedure; and believe FVCA improves physical appearance and quality of life. Although respondents generally supported their tax dollars funding the procedure, fewer supported this for self-inflicted trauma (P > 0.01). Conclusions This study highlights a disconnect between public preference for insurance coverage of FVCA and current lack of coverage in practice. Respondents' acceptance of including faces in organ donation registries may help alleviate the issue of locating a donor, and increasing financial coverage may broaden this procedure's accessibility to a wider range of individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mya Abousy
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Hillary Jenny
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Helen Xun
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Nima Khavanin
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Francis Creighton
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Patrick Byrne
- Division of Facial Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and
Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Damon Cooney
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Richard Redett
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Robin Yang
- Department of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rodrigue JR, Shenkel J, Boger M, Pomahac B, Fleishman A. Video Messaging to Increase Vascularized Composite Allograft Donation Willingness in United States Military Veterans. Transplant Direct 2022; 8:e1355. [PMID: 36204186 PMCID: PMC9531254 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000001355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Expansion of vascularized composite allograft (VCA) transplantation depends on the public's willingness to donate VCA organs, including face, extremities, and genitourinary organs. This study evaluated the effectiveness of video messaging on VCA donation willingness in US military veterans, a key stakeholder in VCA transplantation. Methods Participants (n = 556) were randomized to 1 of 3 VCA video messaging interventions (informational, testimonial, or blended), a general (non-VCA) organ donation video message, or a control (nondonation) video message. Questionnaires were completed at pre- and postintervention and at 3-wk follow-up. Results Veterans exposed to any VCA video messaging were more likely to express VCA donation willingness (69%, n = 203/296) than those exposed to general donation messaging (53%, n = 47 of 89; P = 0.006) or No Donation Messaging (37%, n = 36 of 97; P < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of participants who received Blended VCA Messaging were willing to be VCA donors, compared with the Informational VCA Messaging group (79% versus 61%, P = 0.006). Each VCA messaging video resulted in a significant pre- to postintervention increase in the proportion of participants willing to donate their own face, hands, and legs (P < 0.03). Conclusions Brief educational videos focused on VCA transplantation can have a demonstrable and verifiable impact on rates of VCA donation willingness in veterans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James R. Rodrigue
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jessica Shenkel
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | | | - Bohdan Pomahac
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Aaron Fleishman
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bound Alberti F, Hoyle V. 'A Procedure Without a Problem', or the face transplant that didn't happen. The Royal Free, the Royal College of Surgeons and the challenge of surgical firsts. MEDICAL HUMANITIES 2022; 48:315-324. [PMID: 34642234 PMCID: PMC9411875 DOI: 10.1136/medhum-2020-012106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Face transplants are an innovative and unusual form of modern surgery. There have been 47 face transplants around the world to date, but none as yet in the UK. Yet in 2003, the UK was poised to undertake the first face transplant in the world. The reasons why it didn't take place are not straightforward, but largely unexplored by historians. The Royal College of Surgeons, concerned about the media attention given to face transplants and the ethical and surgical issues involved, held a working party and concluded that it could not give approval for face transplants, effectively bringing to a halt the UK's momentum in the field. This extraordinary episode in medical history has been anecdotally influential in shaping the course of British surgical history. This article explores and explains the lack of a face transplant in the UK and draws attention to the complex emotional, institutional and international issues involved. Its findings have implications beyond the theme of face transplants, into the cultural contexts and practices in which surgical innovation takes place.
Collapse
|
14
|
What we still don't know about vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) outcomes and quality of life measurements. Transplant Rev (Orlando) 2022; 36:100708. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trre.2022.100708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|