Are face transplants successful?

Did you know that the first ever successful face transplant was of a woman in France who was mauled by her dog? This was not long ago, in 2005. Her name was Isabelle Dinoire and she was 38 years old.

She was lucky, but others were not. On June 8th, Laurent Lantieri - the surgeon who performed the transplant operation - reported that his patient had died due to cardiac arrest.

The victim? A man from France who was undergoing the world's first ever face AND double hand transplant operation after he was disfigured in an accident.

This was in April. He died not even three months after the surgery when being treated for an infection that had set in on his face. Cardiac arrest claimed what could have been a stunning medical victory.

So are face-transplants, plastic surgery and transplant operations successful? Although science and medicine have come a long way, many believe that one can only guarantee a 50/50 chance for a positive outcome.