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| Chimpanzee Attack Victim Who Got Face Transplant Is Hospitalized | Chimpanzee Attack Victim Who Got Face Transplant Is Hospitalized |
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| A woman who underwent a full-face transplant in 2011 after she was mauled by a chimpanzee was back in the hospital on Wednesday after her body began to reject the transplanted tissue in her face, doctors said. | A woman who underwent a full-face transplant in 2011 after she was mauled by a chimpanzee was back in the hospital on Wednesday after her body began to reject the transplanted tissue in her face, doctors said. |
| Charla Nash, 62, was participating in a research study designed to determine whether tissue transplant patients could be weaned off traditional anti-rejection drugs when her immune system began to attack her facial tissue, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston said in a statement. | Charla Nash, 62, was participating in a research study designed to determine whether tissue transplant patients could be weaned off traditional anti-rejection drugs when her immune system began to attack her facial tissue, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston said in a statement. |
| Ms. Nash was in no danger of losing her face, however, Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, the hospital’s director of plastic surgery transplantation, said in a statement. He said she was “experiencing a moderate rejection episode.” | Ms. Nash was in no danger of losing her face, however, Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, the hospital’s director of plastic surgery transplantation, said in a statement. He said she was “experiencing a moderate rejection episode.” |
| “The viability of Charla’s face transplant is not in jeopardy,” he said. “Overall, she is doing well.” | “The viability of Charla’s face transplant is not in jeopardy,” he said. “Overall, she is doing well.” |
| Ms. Nash lost her hands, lips, nose and eyes when she was viciously attacked by a friend’s pet chimpanzee in Stamford, Conn., in 2009. The animal, a 14-year-old named Travis who was something of a local celebrity, was shot and killed the day of the attack when he opened the door of a police car and threatened an officer seated inside. | Ms. Nash lost her hands, lips, nose and eyes when she was viciously attacked by a friend’s pet chimpanzee in Stamford, Conn., in 2009. The animal, a 14-year-old named Travis who was something of a local celebrity, was shot and killed the day of the attack when he opened the door of a police car and threatened an officer seated inside. |
| Ms. Nash received a full-face transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital two years later. She got a new forehead, nasal structure, nose, lips, nerves, facial skin and facial muscles. Her sight never returned. Doctors also performed a double hand transplant but both hands “failed to thrive” and were removed, the hospital said. | Ms. Nash received a full-face transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital two years later. She got a new forehead, nasal structure, nose, lips, nerves, facial skin and facial muscles. Her sight never returned. Doctors also performed a double hand transplant but both hands “failed to thrive” and were removed, the hospital said. |
| With Ms. Nash’s body beginning to reject her face, Dr. Pomahac said she would be removed from the research study. | With Ms. Nash’s body beginning to reject her face, Dr. Pomahac said she would be removed from the research study. |
| “She has resumed her original medication, and will most likely leave the hospital in the next day or two,” he said. “We expect this rejection episode to be resolved within the coming week.” | “She has resumed her original medication, and will most likely leave the hospital in the next day or two,” he said. “We expect this rejection episode to be resolved within the coming week.” |
| In the statement released by the hospital, Ms. Nash said she never felt unwell and had not realized that her body was rejecting the transplanted tissue. | In the statement released by the hospital, Ms. Nash said she never felt unwell and had not realized that her body was rejecting the transplanted tissue. |
| “I appreciate everyone’s concern,” she said. “I feel perfect. I didn’t even know I was having a rejection episode.” | “I appreciate everyone’s concern,” she said. “I feel perfect. I didn’t even know I was having a rejection episode.” |
| Shelly Sindland, a spokeswoman for Ms. Nash, said the only sign of trouble was a few “red patches” that a medical team observed on her face. Ms. Nash reported them to her doctors, who did a biopsy and discovered that her immune system was attacking the transplanted tissue. | |
| The drug study that Ms. Nash was participating in was funded by the Defense Department to improve quality of life for service members who return from war with serious injuries, Ms. Sindland said. In a statement, Ms. Nash said she was disappointed to be leaving the study. | |
| “I am proud of my contributions to date, and am hopeful that it will help those wounded serving our country and others needing transplants in the future,” she said. | “I am proud of my contributions to date, and am hopeful that it will help those wounded serving our country and others needing transplants in the future,” she said. |
| Ms. Sindland said Ms. Nash saw her participation in the study as a way to celebrate the “miracle” of her survival after the chimpanzee attack. | Ms. Sindland said Ms. Nash saw her participation in the study as a way to celebrate the “miracle” of her survival after the chimpanzee attack. |
| “She wants to make sure that it wasn’t in vain and that her life stands for something,” Ms. Sindland said. “That’s why she wanted to participate in this study.” | “She wants to make sure that it wasn’t in vain and that her life stands for something,” Ms. Sindland said. “That’s why she wanted to participate in this study.” |