Girl smiles after face transplant in SE China

A 17-year-old girl from southeast China's Fujian province has received a transplant surgery using face that was grown on her chest.

Xu Jianmei, who lives in a small fishing village, was severely disfigured in a fire that occurred when she was five years old. She lost her chin, eyelids, and a large part of right ear.

The last stage of the surgery was completed two weeks ago. Xu's new face was successfully transplanted. Doctors believe that the wounds left by the surgery will heal in several weeks.

A similar operation was conducted in late September when a man in Fujian received a new nose that was grown on his forehead using tissue taken from his ribs.

Fewer than 10 surgeries of this kind have been performed in China.