MADRID, Feb 2 – A hospital in Barcelona said on Monday it has carried out a landmark facial transplant using a donor who, for the first time worldwide, chose to donate her face prior to undergoing an assisted dying procedure.
The highly complex operation involved transplanting composite tissue from the central area of the face and required the involvement of about 100 specialists, including psychiatrists and immunologists, according to a statement from the renowned Vall d’Hebron hospital.
The hospital’s transplant coordinator, Elisabeth Navas, said the donor had demonstrated “a level of maturity that is truly overwhelming”.
“To think that someone who has decided to end their life dedicates one of their final wishes to a stranger and gives them such a profound second chance is extraordinary,” Navas said.
The recipient, identified only as Carme, had suffered facial tissue necrosis caused by a bacterial infection linked to an insect bite, leaving her unable to speak, eat or see properly.
“When I look at myself in the mirror at home, I feel like I’m beginning to recognise myself again,” Carme told reporters on Monday, adding that her recovery was progressing very well.
In cases requiring facial transplants, both donor and recipient must be of the same sex, share the same blood type, and have a similar head size.
Spain, with a population of 49.4 million, has been a global leader in organ transplantation for more than 30 years. In 2021, it became the fourth European Union country to legalise euthanasia.
Vall d’Hebron has carried out half of the six facial transplants performed in Spain to date and was also responsible for the world’s first full face transplant in 2010.
A hospital spokesperson declined to disclose the exact date of the procedure for privacy reasons but confirmed to Reuters that it took place in autumn 2025.
According to Health Ministry figures, around 6,300 organ transplants were performed in Spain last year, with kidney transplants accounting for the largest share.
Government data shows that 426 people received assistance in dying in 2024.
