Face and hand transplants: a bold new trial for devastating injuries

NCT ID NCT04057638

First seen Dec 16, 2025 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 24 times

Summary

This study tests whether transplanting a face and hands together can help people with severe injuries that standard surgery and prosthetics cannot fix. Ten adults aged 18-64 will receive the transplant and be monitored for changes in function and appearance using tests like EMG, MRI, and photography. The goal is to see if this complex procedure can restore movement and a more natural look, though lifelong immune-suppressing drugs are needed to prevent rejection.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

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    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • NYU Langone Health

    RECRUITING

    New York, New York, 10017, United States

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    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

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What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Combined face and hand transplant (composite tissue allograft)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could offer a new option for people with severe facial and hand injuries to regain movement and a more normal appearance.

What could go wrong

This is a very early, small trial with only 10 participants. Transplants carry risks like rejection, infection, and the need for lifelong immune-suppressing drugs, which have serious side effects.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Facial Injuries Hand Injuries head injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.