Italians Perform Groundbreaking Full Jaw Transplant 37
statikuz writes "According to BBC News, Italian surgeons have performed the world's first complete jaw transplant. In eleven hours, the surgeons replaced a man's cancer-ridden jaw with a bone from a deceased donor; the donated jawbone was sterlized and stored at -196C to fight rejection, and "The current patient is said to be doing well.", says Professor Giuseppe Spriano, leader of the surgery team at the Regina Elena hospital in Rome."
Units... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Units... (Score:4, Funny)
Facial recognition (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Facial recognition (Score:1)
Why organic? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Why organic? (Score:3, Informative)
There was progress in using (dead, sterilized) coral for similar reasons, IIRC. However, dead people are likely less of an endangered resource, and already come in the rough shape you'd want.
Re:Why organic? (Score:2, Funny)
[Whack!] 'Ow!' Damnit.
Re:Why organic? (Score:4, Informative)
we focus our medical funding (Score:2)
Re:Why organic? (Score:5, Informative)
It can. My dentist was installing metal (I think titanium) jaw part replacements into guys wounded in Vietnam. The problem is that the thermal and mechaincal properties of bone and titanium (or any metal) are very different. This leads to a lot of pain with slight temperature changes, mechanical shock like chewing, and so on. It's best to replace body parts using materials that are as similar as possible to the original. You can't get much closer that bone-for-bone.
Re:Why organic? (Score:1)
Meh... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Meh... (Score:2)
...not quite so simple (Score:3, Informative)
I have a surgical steel barbell in my mouth (through the tongue actually) for four years and counting... and guess what?
No rust.
It all depends on the quality of the steel, as this example proves.
But I guess a steel jaw would be pretty heavy and uncomfortable though.
Can I just make one comment ? (Score:1)
Oh never mind, I'll leave you back to your regularly scheduled drivel
Feeling (Score:1)
Re:Feeling (Score:5, Funny)
I bet right now this guy is chewing on the sweetest, juiciest Red Man chewing tobacco he's ever tasted!
And, in Hollywood.... (Score:5, Funny)
Just in case.
Re:And, in Hollywood.... (Score:1)
Yet.. (Score:3, Funny)
When questioned for comments, the patient would not respond.
Also in other news... (Score:4, Funny)
-Adam
italy (Score:2)
Re:italy (Score:2)
Re:italy (Score:2)
They keep using Alberto Tomba [albertotomba.it] as the source material!
Well... (Score:4, Funny)
-196°C (Score:4, Funny)
Bringing all new meaning to frost-bite.
*rimshot* Thanks, I'll be here all week.
Clarification (Score:3, Informative)
So issues regarding nerves and sensation are not a factor...
It must be a pain to get a jawbone that matches size, it has to meet the tempomandibular joints on either side....
where do I sign up? (Score:2, Funny)
Metallic bodyparts (Score:2, Funny)
this actually IS VERY COOL (Score:2)
The face carries a strong social attachment with it. Ever see a victim of a facial cancer without a prosthesis? Imagine a face without a nose. Without a cheek. Terrifyingly sad realities for some people. How can one socially interact when such a huge part of their very presence is so wrongly missing?
That doctors can actually replace diseased facial parts is an ASTOUNDING new breakthrough for medicine. If this turns out to be successful, some people will have amazing new hope.