Abstract

The term "face transplant" is misleading and should not be used: It is composite tissue, rather than an actual face, which is actually grafted. It therefore is necessary to oppose the fantastical images associated with an operation that takes a composite tissue allograft to repair a disfigured or destroyed face: The mere idea of finding the face of one person on that of another belongs to the realm of fantasy. Whereas the primary goal of composite tissue grafts in general is to restore function, that of face transplant is to restore an "acceptable" form. As such, the remaining question concerns the nature of this form. A tissue is not a face: the objective is to return a morphology which has the appearance of a human face. As such, ambiguities exist for both the recipient and the donor. Face transplants are neither organ nor limb transplants, and, unlike organ transplants, face transplants must not be performed until more thorough research underlying the procedures is completed, until the precise risks involved are clearly identified, and until the results are validated.