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The first transplants face trial promising NOUVELOBS.COM 22.08.2008 10:39 Discharges of transplants performed on two people in China and France, the first two in the world, have been overcome and the sensations of cold or heat restored. Promising results. The French Isabelle Dinoire, the first face transplant (AP) Two face transplants, one in 2006 after an attack by a bear and another in 2007 because of a tumor of the face, gives promising results, according to the British medical journal The Lancet, which publishes detailed descriptions in its issue dated Saturday, August 16. These grafts made respectively in China and France are the second and third in the world after the success of the 1st World in France on November 27, 2005 on Isabelle Dinoire, 38 years old, disfigured by her dog. In all three cases, tissues transplanted from deceased subjects. Attacked by a bear The team headed by Professor Guo Shuzhong, director of the department of plastic surgery at Xijing Hospital in Xi'an city (north-west) and describes the case of Li Guoxing, aged 30 when he was attacked by a Bear in October 2004. The transplant of 13 April 2006 lasted 18 hours, including the connection of blood vessels, repair of the nose, lips, sinus and other structures of the face (including bone) deeply damaged. Three episodes of acute discharges, which occurred within the 3rd, 5th and 17th months after transplantation, were controlled by adjusting the anti-rejection treatment. The sensations of hot and cold over the graft were restored 8 months after transplantation. The kidneys and liver patient functioning normally and there was no infection during the two years of medical follow-up presented. "At present the overall outcome is good, despite some post-surgical complications," note the Chinese doctors. The patient has readily accepted his face, "they specify. Two other operations (in November 2006, April 2007) have helped improve his appearance. Resumption of full-time work The Chinese doctors are differences with the world premiere (the Registry of the triangle nose-lips-chin), a medical but also on the most serious injuries of Li (part of the missing bone structure, facial nerve severely injured explaining his Poor recovery). The therapeutic differences could partly explain the emergence of a Li diabetes and hypertension at the French patient, they said. Dr. Laurent Lantieri (Hospital Henri-Mondor APHP Paris region) relate to his part the case of Pascal, 29 years, disfigured by a tumor of genetic origin-a neurofibromatosis, called Recklinghausen disease and grafted on January 21, 2007. Two episodes of discharges, the 28th and 64th days (the latter linked to a viral infection from the donor) have been overcome. One year after the intervention, the functional evolution is good (motor and sensory). The patient, whose psychological recovery is excellent, has been able to work full time 13 months after transplantation. Dr. Bernard Devauchelle (Amiens) and Jean-Michel Dubernard (Lyon) authors of the 1st World these partial face transplants call in Lancet, cooperation between teams pioneers to move forward.