Who is Aaron James? Arkansas military veteran receives world’s first whole-eye and partial-face transplant
HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS: Aaron James, a military veteran aged 46, received the first-ever whole-eye and partial-face transplant, in a life-changing surgery.
In 2021, while working as an electrical lineman, Aaron accidentally touched a live wire, receiving a 7,200-volt electric shock.
As a result of the accident, he lost his left eye, most of his left arm, his nose and lips, his front teeth, his left cheek area, and his chin, according to a press release from NYU Langone Health.
Aaron James has recently opened up about the surgery that changed his life.
On May 27, he underwent a 21-hour surgery led by Eduardo D Rodriguez, MD, DDS, who is the Director of the Face Transplant Program and also the Chair of the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone.
The surgical team comprised over 140 medical professionals.
According to the press release, this was the world's first-ever successful combined transplant of a whole human eye, making it a significant milestone in the medical field.
What did Aaron James recall about the day of his accident?
Aaron described June 10, 2021, the day of the accident, as "a day I don’t remember but one I’ll never forget."
The 46-year-old also admits, "It was a test of strength and willpower. From the time I woke up from a six-week coma, they were already talking about a possible chance of a face transplant."
In a press conference on November 9, James revealed that he already knew of Dr Rodriguez’s and NYU Langone’s strong reputation and also thanked his doctors and his care team.
He said, "I didn’t feel like there was anyone else who could do this the way that Dr Rodriguez and his team could — and I think they’ve proven that."
James was Dr Rodriguez’s fifth face transplant.
James received an entire left eye and a portion of a face from a single donor and he went on to thank the donor and the donor's family.
"Without them, none of this could have been possible," he said. "I have the utmost respect for them, to be able to make this decision to help people that they don’t know, and to give me this gift from their family to live on with, to take care of … We are so grateful and thankful."
He also expressed gratitude towards his wife, Megan, and his daughter, Allie saying, “Without them and their support, I don’t think I could have made it through this."
Aaron James's path to healing and recovery
James spent 17 days in the intensive care unit after his transplant surgery.
He was discharged for outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
In September, he returned to his home in Arkansas with his wife and daughter.
He will continue to visit New York City for monthly follow-up appointments with his care team.
James shared in the NYU Langone release, "I will forever be thankful to Dr Rodriguez and his team for changing my life,"
"My family and I wouldn’t have been able to navigate this difficult journey without their expertise and support."
"Our hope is that my story can serve as inspiration for those facing severe facial and ocular injuries."
What did the doctors say about the transplant?
Dr Rodriguez, stated in a press release from NYU Langone, "The mere fact that we’ve accomplished the first successful whole-eye transplant with a face is a tremendous feat many have long thought was not possible,"
"We’ve made one major step forward and have paved the way for the next chapter to restore vision."
Dr Marc Siegel, a Fox News medical contributor, described Dr Rodriguez as a "groundbreaking facial transplant surgeon."
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Dr Siegel said about his colleague, "He is a pioneer in the field, and his success rate of recipients returning to normal life is increasing with each case."
Although doctors are unsure if James, the patient, will regain sight in the transplanted eye, there are encouraging signs.
Six months after the surgery, his new eye is receiving direct blood flow to the retina and is showing remarkable signs of health.
Based on the restoration of blood flow to the retina, Dr Siegel is optimistic that at least some vision might be restored, which could be crucial for those who lose vision traumatically or for other reasons.
Even if James’ eye does not regain sight, Dr Rodriguez said that "from a cosmetic standpoint, it would still be a remarkable achievement."
"Aaron has been extremely motivated to regain the function and independence he lost after his injury. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect patient," he said.
"We owe much of our success in this monumental endeavor to the exceptional institutional support we receive at NYU Langone and the unwavering dedication of our world-class team in delivering the highest level of care to our patient."
Dr Rodriguez also said, "This achievement demonstrates our capacity to embrace the most difficult challenges and drive continuous advancements in the field of transplantation and beyond."