Arkansas Veteran Successfully Receives World's First Whole Eye and Partial Face Transplant

Aaron James, a military veteran who survived a lethal 7200-volt electrical shock in 2021, underwent a 21-hour surgery in May 2023, receiving an entire left eye and partial facial features from a single donor in a groundbreaking procedure at NYU Langone Health; while complete restoration of his sight remains uncertain, remarkable signs of health observed months following the surgery present a promising outlook.

Aaron James, a 46-year-old Arkansas military veteran who survived a 7200-volt electrical shock in 2021, received the world's first whole-eye and partial face transplant in a 21-hour surgery performed at NYU Langone Health in May 2023.
While the outcome of full sight restoration remains uncertain, remarkable signs of health such as restored blood flow to the retina have been observed in the months following the procedure.
The revolutionary surgery involved transplanting the donor's entire left eye and a portion of the face. This included the orbital bones, nose, left upper and lower eyelids, eyebrow, upper and lower lips, and underlying skull, cheek, and chin bone segments.
This groundbreaking procedure, the first of its kind, was carried out by a team of more than 140 surgeons, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. It also included the injection of donor stem cells into James' optic nerve in an attempt to enhance nerve regeneration.
Despite the complexity and novelty of the transplant, James had a relatively short recovery period in ICU, only 17 days. He has since entered physical and occupational rehabilitation and speech therapy, showing impressive recovery rates.