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A man in Michigan, US, can now smile, smell, and swallow for the first time in a decade, thanks to a “life-changing” face transplant. Derek Pfaff, 30, underwent the procedure in February, ten years after surviving a self-inflicted gunshot wound that severely damaged his face.
Pfaff, who was home on spring break in March 2014, attempted suicide but has no recollection of the event, according to a CNN report. “I don’t remember anything,” he said. “I don’t remember getting the gun, going outside, shooting myself, or the weeks afterward.”
His father, Jerry Pfaff, discovered the family’s gun cabinet open and found Derek injured in the snow near their garage shortly after 1:30 am. Rushed to the hospital, Derek initially believed he had been in a car accident upon regaining consciousness. The gunshot wound caused the loss of his nose, lips, teeth, and portions of his forehead, impairing his ability to breathe, chew, swallow, smile, and blink, the CNN report said.
Pfaff’s injuries made basic functions like eating solid food or speaking clearly impossible. Despite undergoing 58 reconstructive surgeries, significant damage remained. His mother, Lisa Pfaff, recalls a doctor telling her, “The only option for Derek is a face transplant.”
The complex, 50-hour operation involved a team of 80 medical professionals and replaced approximately 85% of Pfaff’s face with donor tissue. Dr Samir Mardini, surgical director of Mayo Clinic’s Reconstructive Transplant Program, who led the surgery, explained, as quoted by CNN, “With facial transplantation, it’s not a lifesaving procedure, but it’s a life-giving procedure.”
The surgery reconstructed various facial structures, including Pfaff’s forehead, nose, cheekbones, jaws, eyelids, and mouth. Doctors even used a new technique to transplant the donor’s tear drainage system.
A month after the surgery, Pfaff saw his new face for the first time. His mother described the moment: “We turned a really sad, hard day into a really joyful experience for Derek, and it was just a miracle – a miracle for him to see himself.”
Pfaff continues his recovery with speech therapy and medication to prevent organ rejection. He is working to raise suicide awareness, saying, as quoted by CNN, “The sun will rise tomorrow. You just have to stay positive, no matter what the situation is. Look past the down.”