The World ’ s First Whole-Eye Transplant Is Helping an Arkansas Man Recover From a Catastrophic Injury

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health have performed what they say is the world’s first whole-eye transplant, combined with a partial face transplant, in an important step forward for the fields of both transplantation and vision restoration. In May, a team of more than 140 health care workers performed the 21-hour procedure on Aaron James, a 46-year-old Arkansas man badly injured in a workplace accident in 2021. James, a high-voltage power lineman and military veteran, suffered a massive electric shock when his face accidentally touched a live wire on the job. James was lucky to survive, but lost his left eye, much of his face, and part of his left arm. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] It’s not clear whether James will ever be able to see from his donated eye. Still, the novel combined transplant has given James major cosmetic benefits and improved his ability to speak and eat solid food—meaning that, for the first time since his accident, he’ll be able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with his family this year. The nearly two years since the accident have been a test “of strength, will power, family, friends,” James said during a Nov. 9 press conference. “And I think we beat it.” Corneal transplants are now used fairly frequently to restore vision and function to damaged eyes, and around 50 face transplants have been performed worldwide—including several by Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, the NYU surgeon who led...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Source Type: news