Face Transplant

The possibility of full face transplants offers genuine hope for many people with facial disfigurements. Discover the medical and psychological challenges to be overcome before it becomes reality – and discuss the possibility that it shouldn’t happen at all.

The Royal College of Surgeons recently brought together a working party of surgeons, psychologists and ethicists to report on whether a full face transplant is possible. This event gives you the opportunity to find out why they came to the conclusion that the time is right for some people to go ahead with this still experimental technique.

Andrew Bradley is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Cambridge and a surgeon in the working party. He will talk about what will actually happen in the operating theatre, how the face will be removed from the donor and attached to the recipient. What dangers are there? And what is the chance of success?

‘The face is central to our understanding of our own identity. Disruption to one’s facial appearance, especially the inability to recognize oneself, represents a profound disruption of body image and may constitute a major life crisis.’ The psychologist on the panel is Professor Nichola Rumsey of the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England. She will talk about how people cope with a new appearance as well as worries about their body rejecting the face and feelings of guilt and gratitude towards the donor.

What constitutes informed consent when the procedure involved is so new that not even the surgeons fully understand the risks? This is just one of the issues that Professor Len Doyal has grappled as the ethicist on the panel. What responsibilities do medical professionals have towards the donor families? And is this leap in the dark morally acceptable?

Mr James Partridge is the Chief Executive and founder of the charity Changing Faces, which was set up to help people with facial disfigurements. He is not in the working party, but will tell us about how this surgery could change people’s lives.

Event organised by:
The Science Museum

Speakers

Andrew Bradley, Professor of Surgery, University of Cambridge
Len Doyal, medical ethics, Queen Marys, University of London
James Partridge, founder and chief executive, Changing Faces
Nicky Rumsey, appearance and health psychology, University of the West of England