How 80 Surgeons Rebuilt a Human Face in 50 Hours After Suicide Attempt

Derek Pfaff, a 30-year-old resident of Harbor Beach, Michigan, has undergone face transplant that promises to dramatically improve his quality of life.

The intricate surgical procedure, conducted at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, represents a profound milestone in reconstructive medicine. Ten years after sustaining severe facial damage from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during his college years, Pfaff had endured 58 reconstructive surgeries that ultimately proved insufficient to restore his fundamental human functions. Prior to the transplant, he struggled to eat solid food and communicate comfortably with loved ones, compelling him to pursue a more comprehensive solution.

The groundbreaking operation was an extraordinary feat of medical collaboration, involving over 80 healthcare professionals and spanning more than 50 hours of meticulous work. Surgeons replaced an extensive portion of Pfaff's facial anatomy, including everything below his eyebrows and part of his forehead—encompassing eyelids, jaws, teeth, nose, cheek structures, neck skin, and palatal tissues. A particularly critical component of the surgery involved precisely mapping and reconnecting 18 delicate facial nerve branches between the donor and recipient.

This intricate process was essential to restoring critical functionalities such as blinking, smiling, swallowing, and sense of smell—capabilities Pfaff had been without for a decade. Dr. Samir Mardini, surgical director of Mayo Clinic's Reconstructive Transplant Program, eloquently contextualizes the procedure's significance. He distinguishes facial transplantation from traditional life-saving surgeries, describing it as a "life-giving operation" that restores not just survival, but quality of life itself.

"The heart is a lifesaving operation. The kidney, for the most part, is a lifesaving operation. With facial transplantation, it's a life-giving operation. You can live without it, but you're missing out on life," said Samir Mardini

Derek Pfaff's life was forever altered during a spring break when a suicide attempt inflicted devastating consequences. Discovered by his father Jerry, Derek had critically wounded himself. Initially given minimal survival prospects, Derek defied medical expectations through extraordinary medical intervention. His injuries were catastrophically extensive, encompassing the complete loss of his upper and lower jaw, numerous teeth, facial structures, and one eye.

Despite these overwhelming challenges, Derek demonstrated remarkable psychological resilience, maintaining a forward-looking perspective throughout his prolonged medical treatment. Over subsequent years, Derek underwent nearly 60 surgical procedures, gradually reconstructing his physical functionality. His communication with his mother initially occurred through written notes. By 2021, medical professionals determined that a face transplant represented his remaining solution to a happy life.