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First Human Tongue Transplant

Posted by michael on from the tongue-in-cheek dept.

JThaddeus writes "The New Scientist reports that "The world's first human tongue transplant has been successfully carried out by doctors in Austria." The 14-hour surgery replaced the 42-year old owner's original tongue which had to be removed because of a malignant tumour in his mouth. (Imagine the interviews: "I wanna thank all the doctorth and nurtheth who performed thith thuccethful thurgery.")"

4 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. We'll see by BWJones · · Score: 2, Informative

    So, aside from the fact (presuming this was a xenotransplant) that this guy is going to have to take immunosuppresants for the rest of his life which have significant side effects like kidney damage, it will be interesting to see what happens. The tongue is actually a pretty impressive bit of tissue comprised of several layers of muscle, and the innervation of it from the hypoglossal CN is not insignificant.

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  2. Re:!sdrawkcaB by ceejayoz · · Score: 2, Informative

    Read it backwards...

  3. great, but not really a step forward... by ravenousbugblatter · · Score: 3, Informative
    Man, think about where that tongue might have been ;~)

    If this works it'll be great. But unfortunately, it will be like most transplants - temporary. Something like ~75%, or more, of transplants are rejected after 5-7 years, even when the person is taking immunosuppresive drugs. Fact of the matter is, we understand why rejection occurs, but we don't yet have the ability to prevent it. Until that happens, and xenotransplantation will play a big role in it, transplants will continue to be risky and long-term failures. But hey, sometimes that is better than the alternative...

  4. More than a mouthful by chloroquine · · Score: 3, Informative
    I think that they said that the guy would have motion and be able to feel things but that he wouldn't be able to taste things.

    Apparently without a tongue, he would have had to be tube fed for the rest of his life.