Friday, March 29, 2024

Robert Chelsea Becomes First Black American Face Transplant Recipient

Robert Chelsea

*Doctors at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have performed a full face transplant on a Black patient from Los Angeles, a medical first. 

Robert Chelsea, 68, is also the oldest patient to undergo the surgery, six years after he became disfigured when a drunk driver slammed into his car in 2013, sparking a fire. He suffered burns over most of his body and his face, and was in a coma for six months, NBC News reports.

“May God bless the donor and his family who chose to donate this precious gift and give me a second chance,” Chelsea said in a statement. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude and feel very blessed to receive such an amazing gift.”

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It took 16 hours for a team of more than 45 physicians, nurses, anesthesiologists and others to perform the surgery, New York Post reports. 

“Robert is progressing and recovering remarkably fast,” Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, head of plastic surgery transplantation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said.

Chelsea underwent more than 30 surgeries, after the accident, but his lips, nose and left ear could not be reconstructed. Doctors placed him on a list for a face transplant in March 2018, and Chelsea had to wait until now for a donor that matched his skin tone, health officials said.

“I am forever indebted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the most amazing surgical and nurse team ever assembled,” Chelsea said. “The place oozes compassion.”

Dr. Bodhan Pomahac, who led the transplant team, said Chelsea is “recovering remarkably fast.”

“We are looking forward to seeing a significant improvement in Robert’s quality of life,” Pomahac added.

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