Final operation of China's first facial transplant patient successful

The second or the final major operation of China's first face transplant patient ended up with success on Wednesday in Xijing Hospital in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said the hospital.

The operation restored the unnatural right eye and lips of Li Guoxing, a 30-year old patient who was disfigured in 2004 after an attack by a bear,said Guo Shuzhong, director of the hospital's plastic surgery department.

The operation also cut flat Li's swollen left face, said Guo.

Five doctors, three anesthetists and two nurses took part in the operation, which began at 7:40 a.m. and ended at 1:00 p.m.

Doctors were difficult in the operation to distinguish which part of Li's face was transplanted and which part was original, which showed sound integration of Li's new and old faces, said Guo.

"Our goal is to make him unnoticeable walking on the street", Guo said.

However, whether or not the goal will be achieved still needs further observation, said Guo.

Li's right eye was seriously injured and might not be fully recovered after the operation, said Guo.

He received a partial face transplant operation at the hospital on April 14, the second such operation in the world following the face transplant of 38-year-old Isabelle Dinoire in France last year.

Li was given a new cheek, upper lip, nose and an eyebrow, all from a single donor, said Guo.

Source: Xinhua