Page 30 - PlanWorld_2018EN

User Experiences

A face transplant operation

is a demonstration of advanced surgery
and high technology

Dr Jyrki Törnwall COPY SANNA TOLMUNEN
Dr Patrik Lassus IMAGES SAMPPA FJÄDER AND RONI ETELÄAHO

The second face transplant procedure in
the history of the Nordic countries was performed
earlier this year in the Hospital District of Helsinki
and Uusimaa (HUS) in Finland. In the first face
transplant, performed in 2016, some parts of the
facial tissue were transplanted. The most recent
operation was more demanding as it involved
transplanting an even bigger part of the facial
tissue. Planmeca’s pioneering 3D technology
and expert service contributed to this intricate
and rare operation.

PLANMECA and the company’s 3D technology were part
of the second face transplant operation in the Nordics
performed earlier this year in the Hospital District of
Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS). The Nordics’ first face
transplant operation was performed in 2016 in Finland,
and it consisted of transplanting the patient’s upper and
lower jaw, lips and nose, as well as segments of their
skin, midfacial and tongue muscles, and the nerves of
these muscles. In this second operation, more facial
tissue was transplanted from a larger facial area than in
the first one.

The surgery itself took 25 hours and was carried out
by a group of 8 surgeons as well as 20 nurses and other
experts. Docent, Plastic Surgeon Patrik Lassus, led
the medical team while Docent, Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgeon Jyrki Törnwall was in charge of the reconstruc-
tion of the bones. The operation was the 41st of its kind
in the world to date.

3D TECHNOLOGY AN IMPORTANT
PART OF FACE TRANSPLANTS
Demanding surgery requires not only a skilled medical
team, but also technology that ensures efficient planning
and safe execution of the operation. In this operation,
such technology was presented by the Planmeca
ProModel™ service which offers patient specific

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