New Delhi, February 13: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, is taking a landmark step toward introducing face transplantation, a highly advanced and complex reconstructive procedure, and organised a training session on the procedure at the institute.

As part of this preparation, the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, AIIMS, New Delhi, has organised an intensive cadaveric workshop and academic training programme from February 11 to 15 at the Burns and Plastic Surgery Block.

To lead this advanced training initiative, AIIMS hosted Dr Indranil Sinha, Associate Chief of Plastic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Harvard Medical School), Boston, an internationally recognised expert in composite tissue allotransplantation and face transplant surgery. From the Department of Plastic Surgery, Dr Maneesh Singhal will lead the programme with other faculty members, Dr Shashank Chauhan, Dr Raja Tiwari, Dr Rajkumar Manas, Dr Shivangi Saha , and Dr Aparna Sinha.

The programme included hands-on cadaveric workshops, focused academic lectures, and interdisciplinary discussions with the ENT, Maxillofacial Surgery, Nephrology, Immunology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Critical Care, Anatomy, and ORBO.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Maneesh Singhal, Head of the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, AIIMS, said, "There is a large number of patients suffering from devastating facial deformities due to acid burns, gunshot injuries, and trauma, even after 10 to 12 surgeries. Identifying the right candidate and counselling become essential before considering them for transplantation. Unmotivated, unstable patients, patients with active infections and patients with cancers are not the right candidates for the procedure. Face transplantation is no longer experimental--it is the need of the hour. Developing this capability at AIIMS is essential to provide holistic functional and aesthetic rehabilitation to patients who currently have very limited options."

Dr Indranil Sinha acknowledged that the skill set and infrastructure at AIIMS were at par with international standards, and he committed his full support to the programme.

Dr Dipankar Bhowmick, Prof and Head, Department of Nephrology, mentioned that "Immunosuppression plays a critical role, for which there is all the infrastructure and facilities in place at AIIMS." He also said, " I'm excited and will provide the best possible support for this initiative." ".

Additionally, Dr Shashank Chauhan, Additional Professor and Dr Shivangi Saha, Assistant Professor, mentioned that "we have experience with complex facial reconstructions and aesthetic surgeries, which will be helpful to initiate face transplants at AIIMS, Delhi."

Dr Preethy K, Assistant Professor from the Department of Psychiatry, emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and counselling throughout the course of treatment. She also mentioned that the department offers an in situ super-speciality course dedicated to transplant patients and expressed her enthusiasm to collaborate on this initiative.

Further emphasising the structured training, ethical preparedness, and multidisciplinary collaboration, Dr Singhal said that they are crucial before embarking on such complex procedures, and initiatives like this workshop are foundational to that goal.

Dr Indranil Sinha, Dr Maneesh Singhal, Dr Bhowmick, Dr SB Ray, Dr Preethy K, Dr Shashank Chauhan, Dr Shivangi Saha, and Dr Sneha Singh attended the event.