ROCHESTER, Minn. — A Michigan man can blink, swallow, smile and breathe through his nose for the first time in a decade thanks to a face transplant performed at Mayo Clinic. This transformative and complex procedure underscores Mayo Clinic's skilled multidisciplinary surgical team who provide hope to patients with complex medical needs.
Derek Pfaff's life changed forever on March 5, 2014, when a tragic incident during his college years left his face severely damaged by a gunshot.
"I was under a lot of pressure at college. I don't remember making the decision to take my own life. When I woke up in the hospital, I originally thought I had been in a car accident," he says.
