First Successful Human Eye Transplant Performed
Surgeons at NYU Langone Health have successfully transplanted a human eye for the first time. The recipient, Aaron James, a lineman who was injured on the job by a severe shock, still can’t see out of the eye, but it is intact, with functional blood flow, and doctors are calling the first human eye transplant a success. The retina of the transplanted eye can respond to light a year out from surgery, the because James’ optic nerve was damaged by electric shock, he can’t use the eye to see.
Eye Transplants Are Difficult And Complex
The reason that an eye transplant is so difficult is because of the complex nerve and tissue attachments necessary for the procedure. The surgeons, who spent 21 hours transplanting chin tissue, part of a face, a nose, and all of the necessary muscles, as well as an eye, practiced the operation on 15 cadavers before attempting it on James, their first live patient.
The eye transplant procedure was brand new, so although surgeons built on existing methods, they had to invent some new techniques for this groundbreaking operation.
Still Major Risk
To correctly match the bone around the donor eye to the eye socket in James’ face, surgeons made a 3-D-printed set of guides that fitted over James’ face and that of the donor.
The bone from the donor was then fitted into James’ facial bone like a slot puzzle for the eye transplant, helping surgeons line up the nerves and blood vessels for attachment. Even with all of the planning and study involved, there was still a risk that the eye wouldn’t survive the transplant.
Transplant Performed In New York City
Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS led the team that performed James’ eye and partial face transplant at the NYU Langone Health facility in New York City.
Incredibly, the team only had to wait three months for a donor after deciding to proceed with the eye transplant, allowing James to receive his surgery a little more than a year after his injury. James has healed well from the procedure, and his surgeons deemed the rest of his partial face transplant a success, as well as his eye.
More Than Just An Eye Transplant
Even though James can’t see out of his new eye or move it, the eye itself has maintained normal pressure and blood flow. While James can’t see out of his eye, he hasn’t worn a mask or eye patch since the eye transplant. This is a positive result for the patient in addition to a medical breakthrough for the feasibility of eye transplants in the future.
In addition to the eye transplant, James received a nose transplant that has allowed him to smell again for the first time since his accident.
He also has a more functional jaw, and no longer wears a mask in public to hide his face. James was very motivated to regain some of his ability and independence, so the surgery presented him with an opportunity to live a more normal life.
Eye Transplant Will Guide Future Work
James knew going in that he likely would never see out of his eye again because of the damage from his accident. However, he felt compelled to go ahead with the procedure to help move the science forward.
Since he needed to take immunosuppressant medication anyway for the other transplants, he agreed to be the first to receive an eye transplant to contribute to the research.
Since the eye transplant was successful, his experience will help to inform future surgeries, and hopefully someday, an eye that has vision for the patient.
Source: Nature
