Italian Surgeons Report World's 1st Jawbone Transplant

Surgeons at the Istituto Regina Elena in Rome report successfully performing what they termed the world's first jawbone transplant using the mandible from a cadaver.

The mandible, the largest and strongest bone of the face, serves as the base for the lower teeth. As part of the surgery, the jawbone from the cadaver donor was reshaped to resemble the original mandible of the transplant recipient.

The surgeons said the transplant recipient is an 80-year-old man suffering from advanced cancer of the mouth.

The transplant surgery lasted 11 hours and involved a team of 10 doctors including mouth-throat-and-ear specialists and plastic surgeons.

"The initial results were good," Dr. Giuseppe Spriano reported. "We remain cautious because of the complexity of the operation and the general condition of the patient, given his age."

Other sources: Italian Media