22-Year-Old Becomes First in the World to Undergo Full Face and Double Hand Transplant

Joe DiMeo, a young man from New Jersey, has made medical history by becoming the first person ever to successfully undergo both a full face and double hand transplant. The groundbreaking procedure came after DiMeo suffered catastrophic injuries in a car accident in July 2018.

At just 22 years old, DiMeo had his life changed forever when he fell asleep behind the wheel while driving home from a night shift. His car overturned and exploded, leaving him with third-degree burns over 80% of his body. Although a bystander pulled him from the burning vehicle, the damage was devastating. He lost his fingertips, eyelids, and lips, endured heavy facial scarring, and could no longer live independently due to impaired vision and mobility.

DiMeo spent four months in a hospital burn unit, underwent multiple skin grafts, received emergency blood transfusions, and was placed in a medically induced coma for nearly ten weeks. But his long and painful recovery eventually led to an unprecedented medical breakthrough.

In August 2020, a surgical team at NYU Langone Health, led by Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, undertook the ambitious 23-hour transplant procedure. The operation involved 96 healthcare professionals and was guided by advanced 3D-printed tools to ensure precision.

“Joe is one of the most determined patients I’ve ever worked with,” Dr. Rodriguez said during a press conference, praising DiMeo’s resilience and commitment. The transplant was Rodriguez’s fourth face transplant and his first to include hands. Previous attempts by other teams at combining both procedures had failed—one patient died due to infection and another had to have their hands removed after the transplant failed to take.

Finding a suitable donor for DiMeo was a massive challenge due to his extremely high risk of immune rejection—his panel reactive antibody test showed he would reject 94% of potential donors. But a near-perfect match was eventually found in Delaware through the Gift of Life Donor Program.

The transplants included both forearms up to the mid-section, complete with bones, arteries, veins, nerves, and tendons, as well as a full facial transplant: ears, forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, nose, lips, and parts of the underlying bone structure.

The risk of failure was immense, but the outcome has so far been remarkably positive. DiMeo, who continues to undergo physical therapy and take anti-rejection medication, has gradually regained strength and dexterity in his hands. He even hopes to return to playing sports, particularly golf, and has been lifting weights to rebuild muscle.

Learning to use his new hands has been like starting from scratch. “It’s like being a baby again, learning how to grasp things,” he explained. “I know I can do it. I just need more time and practice.”

DiMeo expressed deep gratitude to his surgical team, his family, and especially the donor whose gift made his second chance possible. “There’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Never give up