In 2013, a patient from Toulouse, France, lost part of his nose after chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Despite reconstruction attempts and prosthetic failures, he lived without a nose for years. Thanks to the developing medical technologies, he got a new nose that he grew on his own arm.
NOSE ENLARGED ON FRONT ARM
A custom nose made of 3D biomaterial instead of cartilage was made for him and then implanted in his forearm.
Using a skin graft taken from her temple to cover the false nose, the appendage grew on her arm for two months before being transplanted into her face.
THE PROCEDURE WAS SUCCESSFUL
In September, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and cervico-facial surgeons used microsurgery to connect blood vessels in the arm to vessels on the face and successfully transplant the nose. The groundbreaking procedure was successful, thanks to teams at Toulouse University Hospital and the Claudius Regaud Institute.
“He was hospitalized for 10 days and after three weeks of antibiotic treatment, the patient is doing very well,” paramedics told the Evening Standard.