Abstract

VARGAS SANABRIA, Maikel. Medicolegal implications in the facial transplantation. Med. leg. Costa Rica [online]. 2006, vol.23, n.1, pp.91-102. ISSN 2215-5287.

A recent fact that has caused commotion in the international medical community has been the news of first partial face transplantation executed in France. With this fact, this theme has been put again on the covering. Since the medical, psychosocial and ethical point of view, it has generated polemics. Likewise, it can have medicolegal implications. The transplants have had a giddy development since the starts of the 20th century, when were developed microsurgical techniques and then inmunosuppressant drugs. With both there was a high percentage of transplant success. Nevertheless, at this time, the facial transplant would be indicated for a reduced number of patients with severe facial wounds, in which the conventional techniques don’t offer more helps. Also, it is necessary that the patients give their informed consent for a surgery that is still in experimental phase and of which we don’t know with certainty the consequences to short, medium and long time limit. From the forensic point of view it would mainly imply the modification of the usual evolution of the functional and aesthetic injury consequences.

Keywords : Face; transplant; facial transplantation; microsurgery; inmunosuppressant drugs; identity; ethical principles; informed consent; forensic consequences.

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