A surgical team from the American medical center NYU Langone Health performed, in May 2023, the first total eye and partial face transplant in the world. A year after the operation, the man made a remarkable recovery.
World’s First Total Eye and Partial Face Transplant Photo: NYU Langone Health Video Capture
“The joy of enjoying solid food again. The simple pleasure of experiencing smells. These are just some of the everyday moments Aaron James cherishes now, more than a year after he underwent the world’s first total eye and partial face transplant“, sent the representatives of the NYU Langone Health hospital, on Facebook.
For Aaron James, a 46-year-old military veteran who survived a high-voltage electrical accident at work, this transplant marked the beginning of a new life.
“DAlthough Aaron cannot see from his transplanted eye, it remains viable, demonstrating healthy blood flow, no signs of rejection, and even an electrical response to light in the retina“, says the medical team, which is now exploring the new frontier of vision restoration.
A study published on September 9, 2024 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reveals clinical transplant outcomes and findings over the past year.
“We are truly amazed at Aaron’s recovery”, says Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, the surgeon who led a team of more than 140 medical professionals in this landmark procedure.
“I felt honored to be ‘patient zero,'” says Aaron. “Even though I can’t see with my new eye, I have gained my quality of life. I know this is a step forward in helping future patients“, he added.
“Now the next challenge is to figure out how to restore his vision. I look forward to continuing this collaborative research in academia to accelerate these discoveries with unique tools and the best therapies“, said surgeon Eduardo Rodriguez.
