In the United States, at the age of 57, Connie Culp, the woman who was the first in the United States to receive a face transplant, died after her husband shot her with a gun. She also became the longest-living patient to undergo such an operation, 360 TV reported.
This was reported by Dr. Frank Popeye from a clinic in Cleveland, where the woman underwent a unique operation. It is not known what caused Connie's death, but it is reported that she spent the last days of her life in the hospital.
“Connie was an incredibly courageous, energetic woman and inspired many. Her strength was shown in the fact that she was the longest-lived face transplant patient to date,” said Dr. Popeye, head of the Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic. He added that Connie had given all of humanity a gift of lasting value by being the first in the United States to undertake a complex operation.
Connie Culp was admitted to a Cleveland clinic in 2004 after her husband fired a gun in her face and tried to shoot himself. He was rescued and sent to prison for seven years. After he was released, the woman stated that she would always love him, but she could never be with him again.
In 2008, doctors performed a 22-hour operation, replacing Connie 80% of her face using material from a deceased patient. Prior to this, the woman underwent about 30 plastic surgeries.
The graft did not help Connie regain her appearance after firing a shotgun. But it helped to restore the sense of smell. Several years after the operation, she began to smell food, soap and perfume.
Connie devoted the rest of her life to fighting domestic violence and supporting those who were about to undergo a face transplant.
