Face Off...for real.
Of all of the ethically questionable practices that have been introduced over the past years, the one I read about today is one of the most bizarre. Fox reports of a new type of transplant: a face transplant. If you saw the movie Face Off starring John Travolta and Nicholas Cage, you get something of the idea of this story. If you haven't read about this yet, yes, it is as strange as it sounds and involves what you would expect. A patient who has had some type of catastrophic facial injury, as in a case involving severe burns and disfigurement, has a "face" transplanted from a donor...a cadaver.In a nutshell, the recipient's facial tissue is completely removed and replaced by a completely intact facial "mask." It is a highly controversial practice and is most certainly not without some very real and dangerous risks, including a total rejection of the donor skin.
Concerns have arisen by donor's family that the face of their loved one will be displayed on the body of another person. Similar concerns have been raised by those who fear seeing someone else's face on their loved ones. In answer to these concerns, doctors assure both parties that the existing bone and facial muscles will cause the donor skin to take the form and features of the recipient rather than the donor.
To be honest, I am torn regarding this issue. On the one hand, this could be a wonderful answer for many who have suffered extraordinarily traumatic injuries, leaving them not only scarred, but abhorrently disfigured and, for all practical purposes, faceless. On the other hand, the face is so personal that it just strikes me as over the line in regards to morbidity. Perhaps it just rates so high on the "yuck" factor that it is hard to see the benefits as something worth the risks.
I suppose it is worth noting that when heart transplants were first attempted, similar concerns were voiced. Since the heart was considered the house of the soul, some were concerned that the recipient's personality and disposition would be altered. Of course, that has been demonstrated to be an unfounded fear. The question is whether or not that is the case here. Is there something about the face, the first thing that one notices which is considered the identifier of a person, somehow different, or are the wounds so extensive that the improvements outweigh the challenges not only physically, but emotionally as well?
What do you think? I may add more thoughts on this later, but first I would like to know if you think there are strong ethical considerations that must be taken into consideration? Is this beyond the scope of acceptable practice or is this not only acceptable but necessary for those with catastrophic injuries? I would like your feedback but strongly encourage you to read the entire story, first, as there are many factors that come into play. Let me know what you think.
Read the story here.
Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 9/19/2005 08:10:00 PM
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