CONTEXT Allotransplantation of islets can successfully treat subjects with type 1 diabetes complicated by severe hypoglycemia and erratic glycemic control. Insulin independence is often lost over time due to several factors, including recurrent autoimmunity. Brittle diabetes (frequent hypoglycemia and labile glycemic control) is common after pancreatectomy. This is ameliorated by auto-islet tra...

Vascularized composite allotransplantation represents a useful addition to reconstructive options available to the plastic surgeon. Though the procedure provides beneficial functional outcomes, there remain complications, often associated with the immunosuppression necessary to maintain an allograft. We report a case of eponychial fold lesions following successful bilateral upper extremity allo...

BACKGROUND Facial composite tissue allotransplantation is a potential reconstructive option for severe facial disfigurement. The purpose of the present investigation was to use decision analysis modelling to ascertain the expected quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained with face transplantation (versus remaining in a disfigured state) in an effort to assist surgeons with the decision of whe...

Current data on uterus allotransplantation research has been reviewed and summarized. Over the past 15 years, progress in uterus transplantation research has increased dramatically. As a consequence, the first pregnancy and delivery following uterus allotransplantation in rats have been reported. The technique has been better defined. Although clinical pregnancy and delivery following uterus al...

The goal of hand allotransplantation is to achieve graft survival and useful long-term function. To achieve these goals, precise surgical technique is of critical importance. The key surgical steps and sequence of events in hand allotransplantation are similar to major upper extremity replantations, but are modified to accommodate major conceptual differences that exist between the two procedures.

BACKGROUND In scalp allotransplantation, the scalp from a brain-dead donor, including hair, is transferred to a recipient with scalp defects. Opinions differ on the appropriateness of scalp allotransplantation. In order to maintain graft function and cosmetic outcomes, scalp transplantation recipients would need to receive lifelong immunosuppression treatments. The risks of this immunosuppressi...

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmunity and rejection after transplantation must still be overcome in the technical development of islet transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. It is therefore necessary to inhibit rejection of islet grafts while maintaining the graft’s ability to secrete insulin. Although the use of immunosuppressants reduces the acute rejection rate in transplant patients, lo...

UNLABELLED The performance of simultaneous vascularized composite allotransplantation procedures on patients requiring both the face and bilateral hands remains controversial. The authors present their separate institutional experiences with this challenging procedure in the interests of dispelling misconceptions regarding this intervention and forwarding their understanding of the issues relat...

OBJECTIVE Facial allotransplantation is fast becoming a reconstructive option for severely disfigured individuals, but it is still in experimental stage. Facial allotransplantation will be considered fully ethical only when it addresses the recipient's identity concerns. There exist no such studies that quantify and predict identity changes following change in geometry of underlying facial skel...