AIIMS New Delhi to perform India’s first face transplantation

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has become the first institution in India to announce the introduction of face transplantation , a highly complex reconstructive procedure aimed at restoring both function and aesthetics for patients with severe facial deformities.

The Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery at AIIMS is setting up a registry of patients who have suffered devastating facial injuries such as acid burns, gunshot wounds, or trauma and have not benefited from multiple surgical procedures. The initiative will focus on patients with impaired functions like breathing, mouth opening, and blinking .

As part of the preparatory programme, AIIMS is hosting an intensive cadaveric workshop and academic training session from February 11-15 at the Burns and Plastic Surgery Block. During the workshop, facial skin was harvested from a brain-dead donor to provide hands-on training.

Leading the programme is Dr Maneesh Singhal , Head of the Department, along with faculty members Dr Shashank Chauhan, Dr Raja Tiwari, Dr Rajkumar Manas, Dr Shivangi Saha , and Dr Aparna Sinha . International expertise is being provided by Dr Indranil Sinha , Associate Chief of Plastic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, a renowned expert in face transplantation and composite tissue allotransplantation.

The multidisciplinary programme includes focused academic lectures, cadaveric workshops, and discussions with specialists from ENT, Maxillofacial Surgery, Nephrology, Immunology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Critical Care, Anatomy, and the Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO).

“Identifying the right candidate and counselling them is crucial before considering face transplantation. Unmotivated, unstable patients or those with active infections or cancers are not suitable. This is no longer experimental; it is the need of the hour,” said Dr Singhal. He also emphasized that developing this capability at AIIMS is essential to provide holistic functional and aesthetic rehabilitation to patients who currently have very limited options.

Face transplantation is rare but established internationally, with around 80 procedures performed worldwide . The latest case was reported in Spain just two weeks ago . AIIMS officials stressed that the hospital’s infrastructure and skill sets meet international standards , and collaborations with Harvard Medical School are planned to ensure global best practices.

Dr Dipankar Bhowmick, Head of Nephrology, highlighted the importance of lifelong immunosuppressive therapy to prevent graft rejection, while Dr Preethy K from Psychiatry stressed the role of rehabilitation and counselling throughout the treatment process. Faculty members Dr Chauhan and Dr Saha noted that their experience in complex facial reconstructions would be invaluable for the success of face transplantation at AIIMS.

Dr Singhal added, “Structured training, ethical preparedness, and multidisciplinary collaboration are crucial before embarking on such complex procedures. Workshops like these lay the foundation for safe and effective implementation.”