A woman, named Carmen, in Spain has received a face transplant from a donor who died by euthanasia.It was the first facial transplant surgery ever conducted via a Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) donor.Under Spain's 2021 MAiD provisions, one has to be an adult and have an incurable, severe, chronic and irremediable condition causing intolerable and irreversible suffering.The operation took place at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona on a woman with severe facial tissue damage caused by infection, impairing her ability to breathe, eat, and speak. .Reported by EuroNews, the donor had consented to donate their organs after being euthanized.The surgery was led by Joan Pere Barret, head of Plastic Surgery and Burns at Vall d'Hebron, along with his surgical team of nearly 100 medical professionals, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and specialists in microsurgery, immunology, and mental health.The surgery requires extensive preparation, lifelong follow-up care, transplanting skin, muscles, nerves, bone structures, and the use of immunosuppressive medication to prevent tissue rejection.Since Spain's MAiD program became legal, 226 euthanasia patients have donated their organs.Of Spanish euthanasia patients, 14% are organ donors.
