Craniomaxillofacial Allotransplantation

August 28, 2023 updated by: NYU Langone Health
The purpose of this study is to perform face transplants on people who have suffered severe facial trauma with tissue and functional loss; and evaluate the acceptance and function of the transplanted tissue. The aim of the transplant is to provide patient a more normal appearance . Additionally we aim to restore functioning, movement, and sensation of their face including that of the lips, mouth, and eyes.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

This study is to perform facial transplants in patients with severe facial deformities or facial wounds from traumatic injuries. The transplant is to help reconstruct a person's damaged face. The aim of the transplant is to provide patient a more normal appearance . Additionally we aim to restore functioning, movement, and sensation of their face including that of the lips, mouth, and eyes.

There are some procedures in plastic and reconstructive surgery that can repair the look of a patient's face, but often can't replace the movement and use of the face. Currently, patients with severe facial deformities would undergo several reconstructive surgeries with their own tissues, called autologous transplant. Conventional reconstruction method requires multiple surgeries in order to form and shape the transplanted tissue. Because this type of reconstruction is limited, it does not provide a reliable return in function, sensation, and appearance for the damaged parts of the face.

This study uses a composite tissue allograft , or face transplant from a donor who is brain dead such as in heart, kidney and liver transplants. The damaged parts of the face could return movement as well. Transplanted patients are required to take lifelong immunosuppression drugs which have risks, which are still a consideration when deciding to choose this option for correcting severe facial deformities.

We will conduct the surgery and prospectively follow the patient to monitor signs of rejection of the transplanted face. Additionally, patients will be constantly evaluated for clinical and functional outcomes and ensure that optimal results are achieved.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

10

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10016
        • Recruiting
        • NYU Langone Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Eduardo D Rodriguez, MD, DDS
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Alexes Hazen, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Daniel Ceradini, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Jamie Levine, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Pierre Saadeh, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Bruce Gelb, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 64 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion criteria:

  • Signed and dated all required IRB approved consent forms
  • Male or female recipient between the ages of 18-64 years. * Recipients do not need to be same gender as donor*
  • Facial composite tissue defect requiring facial transplantation as determined by the treating Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Inclusive facial functional subunit tissue loss. Including but not limited to irreparable peri-oral, peri-orbital, and peri-nasal damage.
  • Patient has been encouraged to seek a second opinion from a Plastic Surgeon with specialized focus in facial reconstruction.
  • Willingness to participate in ongoing psychiatric, psychological and social work evaluations prior to and post-transplant surgery
  • The subject is able to complete pre-transplant examination and screening procedures.
  • Patient has been approved by Patient Selection Committee for placement on the recipient waiting list
  • The subject is willing to continue immunosuppression regimen as directed by treating physician.
  • Subject is willing and able to return to follow-up visits as described in treatment plan.
  • Subjects must have autogenous tissue options available for reconstruction in event of graft failure.
  • Normal GFR (glomerular filtration rate) >60
  • Negative pregnancy test within 48hrs of transplant for women of childbearing age and who agree to use a reliable form of contraception for one year following transplant.

Exclusion criteria:

  • Subject has an uncontrolled infection
  • Serious co-morbidities
  • Positive serology for HIV; Hepatitis B/C Antigen
  • Active malignancy within 5 years with the exclusion of non-melanoma
  • Subject has active substance abuse/ alcoholism
  • Active Severe Psychiatric Illness
  • Cognitive limitations affecting the patient's ability to provide informed consent
  • Recent history of medical nonadherence
  • Unstable social situation as evidence by lack of stable housing and/or lack of a supportive significant other.
  • Recent history of medical non-adherence.
  • Lack of stable housing and/or supportive significant other/caregiver throughout all phases of the study
  • Currently active smoker within 1 year
  • Subjects with any cognitive deficits related to a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and or any organic neurological disorders will not be considered for this protocol.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Face Transplant recipient
Single Arm study, all participants will receive Craniomaxillofacial allotransplantation
Transplantation of donor face

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Evaluate the success of the face transplant
Time Frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

We will measure the restoration of function, sensation, and appearance of the transplanted facial segment.

These will be measured using various multi-disciplinary evaluations including swallow studies, photography, speech therapy evaluation, Occupational therapy evaluation, electromyogram (EMG) , Nerve Conduction Study (NCS), CT Angiogram, Functional ( Magnetic Resononance Image) MRI, vision exams, pathology samples to check for rejection, Blood tests

Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Evaluate psychological effects of receiving a face transplant
Time Frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually until year 5
Psychological outcome will be measured using patient reported outcome tools such as MoCA; BIDQ; SF-36; PHQ-9
Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually until year 5

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, DDS, NYU Langone Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 5, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 6, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

June 9, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 30, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 28, 2023

Last Verified

August 1, 2023

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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