Face transplant survival rates “encouraging,” global study finds

Editor's Note

Nearly 20 years of data on the first 50 face transplants in the world indicate that survival rates exceed those of several solid organ transplants, according to a global study published September 18 in Jama Surgery.

Conducted between 2005 and 2021, the study involved 18 transplant centers, assessed transplant survival and episodes of acute rejection in 48 patients across North America, Europe, China, and Russia. It found that 5- and 10-year survival rates for face transplants were 85% and 74%, respectively, when considering both graft losses and patient deaths.

The majority of face transplants were full-face procedures (52%) and often included bone grafts (66%). Immunosuppressive therapies were reportedly critical to transplant success, with thymoglobulin commonly used during induction and a combination of tacrolimus, prednisone, and mycophenolate mofetil as maintenance therapy.

Researchers say that although findings indicate a learning curve, with later transplants showing better outcomes. However, further study is required amid limitations such as underreported rejection episodes, variability in data collection, and a lack of standardized guidelines for chronic rejection assessment.

“The overall survival of the face transplants is encouraging,” researchers conclude. “These data suggest that the acceptable long-term survival of face transplants makes them a reconstructive option for extensive facial defects.”