Would you donate your face?

[spagheddie]

Just watched a fascinating show on Discovery Health about face transplants. There have been 2 groups of doctors, one in France and one in Louisville who have been testing this and now believe it can be done successfully.

The idea obviously, is to remove the face of someone deceased, (cutting along the outside, in front of the ears, and under the chin) and attach it to a patient in need. While extremely risky there was a woman who was severely disfigured in an accident and would be willing to attempt it. There is no one at this time who has given permission to donate this part of their body.

Aside from the medical complications, and psychological issues the recipient would have, the doctors were also concerned whether or not the deceased person could be recognized. How would someone feel if they saw the face of someone they loved who had died, suddenly walking around.

To be clear, you wouldn't see the exact same face because of bone structure, etc., but in the testing that was done, a group of outside physicians were brought in to see if they could identify the face on the second body and most of them could pick it out.

This goes beyond the usual organ donation decision. Is it any different because there are potential identity issues?

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

gross

 

[monkeyboy]

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Ick.

Reminds me of that awful movie, Faceoff, with John Travolta and Nicholas cage..

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Sure, why not? I'm already an organ donor. I kind of like the idea. It's very sci-fi and kind of surreal!

 

[jrydberg]

I think I'll have subjected enough people to my face in my lifetime. No need to inflict further punishment on society

 

[tastelikecandy]

I have donated my hair for cancer patients but I am pretty "attached" to my face.

 

[spagheddie]

Originally posted by minniepumpernickel
Sure, why not? I'm already an organ donor. I kind of like the idea. It's very sci-fi and kind of surreal!

I was curious as to how current organ donors might respond and if they felt it might be different somehow.

 

[Saffron]

It doesn't make any sense to me that someone could lift a face from one body and put it on another. It seems to me a face is much too complicated, like what about the nose, the lips etc.

I don't care. My body and whatever parts are needed can go to whoever needs them. When I'm dead, I'm dead, I don't need them anymore. My body and all it's parts are going to go back to the Earth, so if someone could really use my face, they can have it. It just doesn't make sense to me though.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Originally posted by jrydberg
I think I'll have subjected enough people to my face in my lifetime. No need to inflict further punishment on society

Amen to that!

On the flipside, I don't think I'd want to walk around with a dead person's face. It's just creepy to me.

 

[helenabear]

Originally posted by spagheddie
I was curious as to how current organ donors might respond and if they felt it might be different somehow.

As an organ doner, it wouldn't bother me... not sure someone would want my skin, but if it helped someone to live a normal life, then I'd be all for it.

I think like Maggie though, I would imagine it would be rather difficult to do and get it "right" but if they can, that is amazing

 

[Maleficent13]

Although I have done no research on this, I would wonder why this would be necessary (or even better) with all the advancements in plastic and reconstructive surgery. It's certainly very interesting to think about. I'll have to do some research on it.

 

[Tigger&Tink]

Sounds like a great idea,,,(I am a organ donor too),,BUT it would have to go to someone that could handle all this BEAUTY


No really,,if it could be done and it would help someone to have a LIFE again,,sure..(PLEASE MAKE VERYYYYY SURE I AM DONE WITH IT THOUGH)!!!




Tink

 

[4cruisin]

I would have to give it more thought ( because of the emotional ramifications to my family) but my first reaction is "Sure, why not." I am an organ donor and I strongly believe that if I'm dead, I do not need any physical parts of my body. I know that if I or a loved was on a transplant list, I would hope that someone else would be willing to do the right thing during a difficult time.

When I first signed up to be on organ donor, the thought of my skin being used for grafts kind of grossed me out so I specifically omitted that on my donation card. Then, a friend's daughter was severely burned and went through many, many surgeries and very painful recoveries. Her tragedy immediately changed my mind. I am willing to donate whatever can be used once I am gone.

I might as well ad that I strongly feel that organ donation should be automatic after death unless the person or family has specifically requested otherwise. (Let the debate on that begin.)

Nancy

 

[bananiem]

But what if they don't lilke the face they get? I guess if they are very disfigured from an accident or whatever maybe they'd be happy with whatever they got. It's not like they'll have time to pick one out. Like most organ donations I'm sure there would be little time between the harvesting and the surgery.
I'm an organ donor but I could see where it could be emotionally destructive to my 8 and 10 year old to see Mommy's face on somebody else.

 

[dizneenut]

Sounds kinda creepy!

 

[HollyJoy]

I suppose it's no different than any other organ donation, after all, skin is our biggest organ, but still, I find it a bit creepy!

 

[onecoolmama]

Originally posted by jrydberg
I think I'll have subjected enough people to my face in my lifetime. No need to inflict further punishment on society

I am right there with you!!!!

 

[spagheddie]

Originally posted by Maleficent13
Although I have done no research on this, I would wonder why this would be necessary (or even better) with all the advancements in plastic and reconstructive surgery. It's certainly very interesting to think about. I'll have to do some research on it.

The person who was willing to go through with the surgery has already gone through years of skin grafts and plastic surgery and is still very disfigured. Doctors feel they have gone as far as they can. With a face transplant the only visible sign would be scars on the jaw line.

The doctors expect any surgery to last well past 24 hours, as they would be reconnecting nerves, blood vessels, and muscles to the donated face. As long as the patient kept taking the anti-rejection medicine they should look normal.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Sometimes even I don't want my face!