Connie Culp World’s First Full Face Transplant

In 2004, her husband shot her in the face. And the gun shot resulted in the loss of bone structure in her face. Today, her new face addressed the world for the first time.

“Well, I guess I’m the one you came to see today. While I know you all want to focus on me, I think it’s more important you focus on the donor family that made it so I could have this Christmas present, I guess I should say.”

Connie Culp, 46, an Ohio resident was shot in the face by her husband,Thomas Culp, four years ago. A shotgun blast left a hole in the middle of her face. Then her husband turned the gun on himself but he survived. Thomas went to prison for seven years and left his wife holding on to her life.

Although she is very lucky to be alive, the blast shattered the bone that supported her face,her eye,her nose — couldn’t breath without a tube into her windpipe,her cheeks, the roof of her mouth– she could not smell, drink or eat. Hundreds of fragments of shotgun pellet and bone splinters were embedded in her face. Only her upper eyelids,forehead,lower lip and chin were left.

In December of 2008, Connie Culp became the first person in the world to receive a face transplant– she received a new face from a dead woman. Surgeons removed the skin, the bone structures underneath, the nerves, facial muscles, lower eyelids, and added the palate from a local donor.

After 22 hours of surgery they had successfully attached the donor’s face to Connie. Doctors say Connie’s facial nerves will slowly regenerate, and will allow her to show emotion. Connie’s expression is a little bit unnatural but she can talk, smell, smile and taste again, and she can drink coffee from a cup, and breathe from her new nose. Her speech is at times a little bit hard to understand.Her face is still bloated and her skin droops, doctors said they plan to pare it away as her nerves grow and circulation improves. But most importantly her pain is nearly gone.

Connie Culp walked forward Tuesday to show off the results of the nation’s first face transplant. She had nothing but praise for those who made her new face possible.