A Michigan man can blink, swallow, smile and breathe through his nose for the first time in a decade thanks to a face transplant performed at Mayo Clinic. This marks Mayo Clinic's second face transplant and its most complex and extensive one to date. Surgeons performed the face transplant in February 2024 in a procedure that lasted more than 50 hours and involved a medical team comprised of at least 80 healthcare professionals, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, technicians, assistants and other specialists. Learn more: https://mayocl.in/4hWB6NP
"I lived for a reason. I want to help others." — Derek Pfaff Derek can blink, swallow, smile and breathe through his nose for the first time in a decade thanks to a face transplant performed at Mayo Clinic. His life changed forever on March 5, 2014, when a tragic incident left his face severely damaged by a gunshot. "I was under a lot of pressure at college. I don't remember making the decision to take my own life. When I woke up in the hospital, I originally thought I had been in a car accident," he says. Despite undergoing 58 reconstructive facial surgeries, he was still unable to eat solid food or speak casually with friends and family. Wearing glasses proved impossible without a nose. This intricate face transplant means the 30-year-old from Harbor Beach, Michigan, will once again be able to do all those things he has missed. He has also become a passionate advocate for suicide prevention and plans to share his story to encourage others who are struggling to get help. Learn more: