Volunteer Firefighter Receives Extensive Face Transplant

According to new sources, a volunteer firefighter who was severely injured in 2001 while attempting to rescue a woman from a burning house has received the most extensive face transplant ever performed. Newport Beach facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Kevin Sadati, discusses this procedure as well as how facial plastic surgery can benefit many different types of patients. 

Patrick Hardison, 41, a volunteer firefighter, was severely injured in 2001. Since his injury, Hardison has received the most extensive face transplant ever performed by surgeons at the NYU Langone Medical Center. He has since returned home to Senatobia, Mississippi. Upon arrival home, Hardison was greeted by hundreds of people who were cheering him on and holding signs that read “Welcome Home.” 

According to Hardison's surgeon, “Here&apos's a guy with a huge personality who just wants to get to the solution…For patients like that…it's important for us to kind of slow the process down and ensure that they completely understand what they're getting into.” Reports reveal that the face transplant surgery took 26 hours to complete. Afterwards, Hardison had lips, ears, a nose and eyelids for the first time in the 14 years since the accident. To successfully complete this extensive reconstruction, surgeons found a donor that had a skeletal structure similar to Hardison's. The donor, David Rodebaugh, was a successful BMX rider who was killed in a bicycle accident. According to Hardison, “That donor and his family gave me this gift, and I can never thank them enough for giving me something as great as this, something I thought I would never have.”

Dr. Kevin Sadati is thrilled with the outcome of this impressive and first-of-its-king surgery. “I am pleased to see a facial plastic surgery procedure of this extent succeed. Not all individuals who undergo cosmetic surgery do so because they simply want to improve their looks. Many undergo cosmetic procedures like this because they have suffered trauma and want to look ‘normal’ again.” 

Board-certified in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, Dr. Sadati has helped a wide range of patients during his career. Along with aiding those who have suffered trauma, Dr. Sadati and his plastic surgery team also help those who want to improve their looks. Many of Dr. Sadati's patients are experiencing signs of aging, from sagging skin to wrinkles and discoloration. Dr. Sadati offers a range of options, including non-surgical injectable fillers and surgical procedures like his natural facelift. “Patients who are looking for a more youthful appearance or who have suffered trauma and want to restore their appearance to its former look should certainly speak with me and see how the wide range of procedures I offer can help,” Dr. Sadati says.

Dr. Kevin Sadati is Board-Certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Otolaryngology/HNS in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Sadati also implements twilight sedation and local anesthesia when performing cosmetic procedures to ensure his patients are comfortable and safe. Having mastered the use of local anesthesia no general anesthesia is needed. With an extensive background in both cosmetic surgery and art, Dr. Sadati helps patient get the look they want safely and effectively with the most natural looking results.