Face transplant patient appearing in public

The French woman who received a new nose, chin and mouth in a groundbreaking transplant operation has taken strolls in public without drawing stares, her surgeon said in an interview published today.

The world’s first partial face transplant patient, Isabelle, is doing well and is focused on the future – the prospect of returning home from the hospital and restarting normal life, Dr. Bernard Devauchelle told Le Courier Picard, a regional newspaper in northern France.

The 38-year-old divorced mother of two received her new features from a brain-dead donor on November 27. She was mauled by her pet Labrador last year, leaving her with severe injuries that her doctors said made it difficult for her to speak and eat.

Now, she is taking walks, riding a bike, chatting and eating, Devauchelle said.

“Every day, with her face uncovered, she passes by people who don’t necessarily recognise her,” Devauchelle was quoted as saying.

He added that she has gone out in public and tested people’s reactions, and they didn’t notice her.