In a medical breakthrough, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona has carried out the world’s first face transplant using donor tissue from a person who had previously undergone euthanasia (assisted dying) and had explicitly requested the donation of her face.
Spain Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
The recipient: Carme – a new life after severe disfigurement
The recipient, identified only as Carme, suffered from severe facial necrosis caused by a bacterial infection following an insect bite. The condition led to extensive facial damage and made speaking, breathing and eating extremely difficult, drastically reducing her quality of life.
After the operation, Carme said that she is slowly beginning to recognise herself in the mirror again and is regaining her zest for life.
The donor: a final act of generosity
What makes this procedure remarkable is not only its technical complexity but also the donor’s background: she had opted for legally regulated euthanasia in Spain and decided, in addition to donating organs and tissue, to also donate her face for transplantation – a case unprecedented in medical history.
Medical experts described the donor’s decision as an expression of extraordinary altruism and compassion.
A surgical masterwork: over 100 experts involved
The operation, which lasted several hours, was considered extremely complex:
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Around 100 specialists were involved, including experts in plastic surgery, microreconstruction, immunology, psychology, and intensive care.
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The use of neurovascular microsurgery techniques enabled the safe transfer of skin, muscles, nerves, connective tissue, and bone.
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Precise 3D planning and simulation were used to achieve the optimal alignment of donor and recipient anatomy.
The operation is regarded not only as a medical breakthrough but also as an example of interdisciplinary collaboration at the highest level.
Significance for Spain and the world
Spain has been one of the world’s leading nations in transplant medicine for decades and boasts one of the highest donor rates globally. In 2021, euthanasia was legally regulated in the country, making this case particularly significant both medically and ethically.
To date, only around 54 face transplants have been documented worldwide, six of which were in Spain, with three performed at Vall d’Hebron Hospital. However, this case stands out from previous ones due to the combination of euthanasia and transplantation.
Outlook and challenges
While the procedure is being celebrated as a success, medical professionals emphasise that face transplants remain highly specialised and experimental. Long-term questions—such as immune response, psychological integration of the new face, and functional rehabilitation—remain central to the further development of this surgery.
Doctors at Vall d’Hebron emphasised that Carme is receiving round-the-clock medical care and is being supported on her journey back to a largely normal life.
A symbol of medical progress and ethical generosity
The successful procedure in Barcelona marks a historic moment in medicine: it demonstrates not only the technical possibilities of modern transplant surgery but also represents an expression of human solidarity—both on the part of the donor and the medical teams involved.
