Doctors at the hospital can begin performing full face transplants within weeks. The procedure has already been performed in China and France but not yet in the United States.
While approved, the hospital doesn't believe it will perform too many of the transplants.
"There needs to be a certain amount of matching between the donor and the recipient," explained Richard Luskin, president of the New England Organ Bank. "Not everyone who is a potential organ donor can be a face donor. For example, you need to be about plus or minus 10 years in age. (There) needs to be a reasonable match in color and complexion," said Luskin.
The first successful partial face transplant was performed by French surgeon Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard in 2005. His patient, Isabelle Dinoire, was severely mauled by her dog. He transferred the muscle tissue of an organ donor to Dinoire, giving her a new chin, nose and lips. Dinoire is now able to speak, eat, drink and is living a normal life.
