BOSTON – A woman mauled by a chimpanzee gone berserk has received a new face in the third such operation performed in the United States and is looking forward to going out in public again and eating hot dogs and pizza after months of pureed food.

Charla Nash underwent a full face and double hand transplant late last month, but the hands failed to thrive as she struggled with pneumonia and were removed, said Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, leader of the 30-member surgical team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Overall, her recovery and future look excellent, Pomahac said.

“She will eventually be able to eat a hamburger, something she said was very important her, having only had pureed food since her injury, and I think we can all relate to that,” Pomahac said.

Nash’s was the third full face transplant in the United States. Her skin, underlying muscles, blood vessels and nerves were replaced along with her hard palate and teeth.

Over the next several months, the 57-year-old woman will develop more control over facial muscles and more feeling, letting her breathe through her nose and develop her sense of smell. She remains blind.

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Her brother Steve Nash later said his sister wants to enjoy hot dogs and a slice of pizza from their favorite pizza parlor in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where they spent their childhood.

While the loss of her transplanted hands was disappointing, Pomahac said she could undergo another hand transplant in the future.

Several days after the operation, Nash developed pneumonia and suffered a drop in blood pressure, which compromised blood flow to the hands. Doctors eventually had to remove the transplanted hands.

Nash will also be able to go out in public without feeling self-conscious, Pomahac said. She had to skip her only daughter’s high school graduation last spring because she was concerned that she would become the center of attention.

“We know it broke her heart,” Pomahac said.

“I think her new face will allow Charla to be present when Briana graduates from college in a few short years.”

 


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