Woman receives face transplant from assisted death donor

A Barcelona hospital said it carried out the first face transplant using tissue from a donor who underwent assisted dying, and the recipient, identified as Carme, is reported to be recovering.

A hospital in Barcelona reported it performed a face transplant using tissue from a donor who had requested assisted dying. The hospital described the operation as the first of its kind. The surgery involved composite tissue from the central part of the face and a multidisciplinary team. The recipient, identified only as Carme, had lost facial tissue after a bacterial infection and is reported to be recovering and noticing improvements. Key facts: - Vall d'Hebron hospital said the donor had requested assisted dying and offered facial tissue for donation before the procedure, described as a world first. - The transplant team included around 100 professionals across specialties such as psychiatry and immunology. - The recipient had facial tissue necrosis caused by a bacterial infection and has reported improved ability to recognise herself and progress in recovery. - Spain legalised euthanasia in 2021 and has been a long-standing leader in organ transplantation, with Vall d'Hebron having performed multiple facial transplants previously. Summary: The hospital presented the case as the first face transplant sourced from a donor who chose assisted dying and reported that the recipient is recovering. Undetermined at this time.