Bohdan Pomahač
Encyclopedia
Bohdan Pomahač (ˈboɦdan ˈpomaɦatʃ; born 1971) is the plastic surgeon who led the team that performed the first full face transplant
in the United States.
, today's Czech Republic
, in a small three-room apartment, and used to spend weekends at their weekend house in Morávka
, a municipality in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids
mountain range.
As a teenager, Pomahač became a passionate chess player, devoting as many as 40 hours a week to his hobby. He was inspired by Anatoly Karpov
and Garry Kasparov
and made it to the major chess league in the country.
After finishing high school, Pomahač became a student at the Palacký University of Olomouc Faculty of Medicine. During the 6 years study, Pomahač went on exchange
to Boston
, USA, which influenced his subsequent career choice.
Pomahač left for the USA immediately after finishing his studies in the Czech Republic in 1996. He was employed at the Brigham and Women's Hospital
, where he worked for 90-120 hours a week.
In 2000, Pomahač married Hana Augustinová, an eye doctor and also a Palacký University of Olomouc graduate. Together with their two children they live in Dover
, a small village not far from Boston. They visit the Czech Republic
once a year, when their children undergo Czech language tests in a school.
, the first person to undergo partial face transplant in 2005 in France
. Dinoire told him that if the face had not been accepted, she was ready to undergo the procedure again. When Pomahač asked another patient why he sought repeated surgery, he told the doctor: “I just want a cab to stop when I’m at the curb.”
In 2007 Pomahač became the head of the hospital's burn trauma centre and also head of the team specializing in facial transplants.
On April 9, 2009 Pomahač performed the second partial face transplant in the USA (and seventh in the world). During a 17-hour operation, a surgical team led by Pomahač, replaced the nose, upper lip, cheeks, and roof of the mouth - along with corresponding muscles, bones and nerves - of James Maki, age 59. Mr. Maki's face was severely injured after falling onto the electrified third rail at a Boston subway station in 2005. In May 2009, he made a public media appearance and declared he was happy with the result. This procedure was also shown in the eighth episode of the ABC documentary series Boston Med.
After that procedure was successfully completed, the Defense Department
awarded a $3.4 million grant to the hospital in December 2009 to fund five face transplants, according to Col. Janet Harris, director of the Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine Research Program for the Army Medical Research and Material Command.
On March 22, 2011, Pomahač performed the first full face transplant in the USA (and third in the world, after full face transplants in Spain and France) on Dallas Wiens
, 25, who was injured by an electric shock that removed his face. Pomahač led the team of physicians, nurses and anaesthesiologists for more than 15 hours to replace Mr Wiens's nose, lips, facial skin, muscles of facial animation and the nerves that power them to provide sensation.
Two other patients are already on the list for other operations funded by the Defense Department. They are Mitch Hunter of Indianapolis, an Army veteran who was in a car crash after his Army stint, and Charla Nash, a Connecticut woman who lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids in 2009 when she was mauled by a chimpanzee.
hospital, where the world's first successful human organ transplant
was performed by Eduard Konrad Zirm
in 1905.
Brigham and Women's Hospital
, where Pomahač works, was the place of the second successful human organ transplant
performed by Joseph Murray
in 1954.
Face transplant
A face transplant is a still-experimental procedure to replace all or part of a person's face. The world's first full face transplant was completed in Spain in 2010.-Beneficiaries of face transplant:...
in the United States.
Biography
Pomahač's parents were a chemical engineer and a school teacher. The family lived in the industrial city of OstravaOstrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
, today's Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, in a small three-room apartment, and used to spend weekends at their weekend house in Morávka
Morávka (Frýdek-Místek District)
Morávka is a village in Frýdek-Místek District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 1,030 . Morávka lies in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids in the elevation of 520 m, in the historical region of Těšín Silesia....
, a municipality in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids
Moravian-Silesian Beskids
The Moravian-Silesian Beskids is a mountain range in the Czech Republic with a small part reaching to Slovakia. It lies on the historical division between Moravia and Silesia, hence the name...
mountain range.
As a teenager, Pomahač became a passionate chess player, devoting as many as 40 hours a week to his hobby. He was inspired by Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
and Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
and made it to the major chess league in the country.
After finishing high school, Pomahač became a student at the Palacký University of Olomouc Faculty of Medicine. During the 6 years study, Pomahač went on exchange
Student exchange program
A student exchange program generally could be defined as a program where students from secondary school or university choose to study abroad in partner institutions...
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, USA, which influenced his subsequent career choice.
Pomahač left for the USA immediately after finishing his studies in the Czech Republic in 1996. He was employed at the Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
, where he worked for 90-120 hours a week.
In 2000, Pomahač married Hana Augustinová, an eye doctor and also a Palacký University of Olomouc graduate. Together with their two children they live in Dover
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
, a small village not far from Boston. They visit the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
once a year, when their children undergo Czech language tests in a school.
Face transplants
Although face transplants were not the centre of his research work, by 2004 he became increasingly interested in the subject and devoted much of his free time to it. Great incentive came when Pomahač met Isabelle DinoireIsabelle Dinoire
Isabelle Dinoire, born 1967, was the first person to undergo a partial face transplant, after her Labrador dog mauled her in May 2005.-Personal life:Dinoire lives in Valenciennes, northern France, and she is the mother of two children....
, the first person to undergo partial face transplant in 2005 in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Dinoire told him that if the face had not been accepted, she was ready to undergo the procedure again. When Pomahač asked another patient why he sought repeated surgery, he told the doctor: “I just want a cab to stop when I’m at the curb.”
In 2007 Pomahač became the head of the hospital's burn trauma centre and also head of the team specializing in facial transplants.
On April 9, 2009 Pomahač performed the second partial face transplant in the USA (and seventh in the world). During a 17-hour operation, a surgical team led by Pomahač, replaced the nose, upper lip, cheeks, and roof of the mouth - along with corresponding muscles, bones and nerves - of James Maki, age 59. Mr. Maki's face was severely injured after falling onto the electrified third rail at a Boston subway station in 2005. In May 2009, he made a public media appearance and declared he was happy with the result. This procedure was also shown in the eighth episode of the ABC documentary series Boston Med.
After that procedure was successfully completed, the Defense Department
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
awarded a $3.4 million grant to the hospital in December 2009 to fund five face transplants, according to Col. Janet Harris, director of the Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine Research Program for the Army Medical Research and Material Command.
On March 22, 2011, Pomahač performed the first full face transplant in the USA (and third in the world, after full face transplants in Spain and France) on Dallas Wiens
Dallas Wiens
Dallas Wiens is the first United States recipient of a full face transplant, performed at the Brigham and Women's Hospital during the week of March 14, 2011...
, 25, who was injured by an electric shock that removed his face. Pomahač led the team of physicians, nurses and anaesthesiologists for more than 15 hours to replace Mr Wiens's nose, lips, facial skin, muscles of facial animation and the nerves that power them to provide sensation.
Two other patients are already on the list for other operations funded by the Defense Department. They are Mitch Hunter of Indianapolis, an Army veteran who was in a car crash after his Army stint, and Charla Nash, a Connecticut woman who lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids in 2009 when she was mauled by a chimpanzee.
Historical connections to transplantations
Pomahač studied at the Palacký University of Olomouc Faculty of Medicine. The University conducts practical education in OlomoucOlomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
hospital, where the world's first successful human organ transplant
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
was performed by Eduard Konrad Zirm
Eduard Zirm
Eduard Konrad Zirm was an ophthalmologist who performed the first successful human tissue transplant on 7 December 1905....
in 1905.
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
, where Pomahač works, was the place of the second successful human organ transplant
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
performed by Joseph Murray
Joseph Murray
Joseph Edward Murray is a retired American plastic surgeon. He performed the first successful human kidney transplant on identical twins on December 23, 1954....
in 1954.