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The New Face Lift
RiotXIX writes to tell us that US surgeons plan on moving forward with their newest experimental medical practice, a face transplant. Doctors have already succeeded in making this practice a reality with cadavers donated for medical research and will soon begin interviewing a shortlist of patients to determine who, if anyone, will be first up for this procedure. From the article: 'The chance it will work is around 50% and experts have expressed safety and ethical concerns about the procedure. The recipient would have to take powerful anti-rejection drugs for life, which carry considerable long-term health risks, says the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which formed a working party to look at the issue earlier this year.'
WHAT THE HELL? Then I thought "oh, okay, it's april fools." Then I remembered that no, it wasn't, and it was just National Talk-Like-A-Pirate-Day. I'd be a little weirded out if someone started walking around with my dead wife's face. But that's just me.
A really Brave New World.
The lessons of history teach us - if they teach us anything - that nobody learns the lessons that history teaches us.
Where "for life" is defined as being "until medical science can figure out a way around the problem". Chimeras have distinct DNA in parts of their body, yet somehow their immune systems have recognized the tissue as not requiring an immune response. Eventually medical science will figure out how to "introduce" new tissue to the body to prevent rejection.
Can You Say Linux? I Knew That You Could.
This is done by Dr. Robert White. He has done a lot of experiments where he transplanted animal heads, and they stayed alive for a while (hours).
I know this story sounds like cosmetic surgery, but it isn't. (Yes, I would like a more handsome face)It is for people who need it medically, at least for now...
Dr White's son, Mr. White was my Eighth grade Latin teacher at Shaker Heights Middle School, I kid you not.
And All I Ask is a Tall Ship And a Star to Steer Her By
The most disgusting seen was when the bad guy was hanging out with no face, just this pizza-with-the-cheese-pulled-off kind of look. And imagine, if the surgery goes wrong that could be you! I'd stick with the scars. An ugly face is better than no face.
I once knew this hottie who was actually turned on by this guy who's face was disfigured by 3rd degree burns and the numerous skin grafs associated.
BTW, he was burned while commiting arson. Go figure....
for the US Marshall Service Witness Protection Program. As this medical procedure becomes more commonplace, it will not be only paper identity, occupation, and location of witnesses in Federal criminal cases that are changed.
In spite of the inherent risks involved in any surgery, as well as the need to take anti-rejection drugs for the remainder of the patient's life, I can see that this will become popular even as elective surgery. I can also see that face transplants will become an abused procedure, for concealing the identity of terrorists, mobsters, mass murderers, embezzlers, and politicians/dictators that have fallen out of favor.
Who would trade burn scars for 50% chance of death, likelyhood of chronic pain, likelyhood of further disfigurement, and no immune system for the rest of their lives?
Actually an impaired immune system - the drugs just suppress part of it. Still no fun though. (That part goes after cancers and virus-infested-but-functioning tissues, too, among other things...)
What I don't see is why they're replacing the whole skin. Why not take off the scar tissue and replace it with a collagen mask seeded with skin cells? This is done with many burn victims (along with at least one person who lost her whole dermis due to a rare drug reaction).
Perhaps it's because the damage is too deep and they need to replace the nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and other plumbing?
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way