New nose grows on man's forehead

When Xiao Lian walked into his doctor's waiting room one year ago, he was a desperate man.

The 22-year-old was suffering from a badly deformed nose after being injured in a car accident last August.

But when he failed to seek proper medical treatment, Lian's nose became infected, and his nostrils virtually fell away.

The corrosion was so bad that doctors told him they were unable to use traditional surgery to repair it.

So they came up with what can only be described as a crazy idea. They would grow a new one - on Lian's forehead.

Guo Zhihui, Lian' s surgeon, said they made the suggestion because the damaged part of Lian's nose is so big that it is impossible to use traditional surgery to repair it.

"We first placed a skin tissue expander beneath the skin on his forehead. This was cut into the shape of a nose and was supported by cartilage taken from the man's ribs. Then we will transplant it to replace the original one," Guo explained.

Now one year on, the nose is growing well.

It is not the first time surgeons have grown appendages on other parts of the body.

Last year, a British businessman who had lost his nose to cancer had a new nose grown on his arm.

Despite its current location, doctors say Lian's second nose is very much the same as the one on his own face. And he is even expected to have a sense of smell.

After the transplant, Lian will still have to undergo further procedures with surgeons due to carry out micro carving, to make the man-made nose as natural looking as possible.

As the doctor's unconventional approach continues to prove successful, Lian has become more confident each day.

"We can see the changes happening to him, both physically and mentally", said Guo, "he becomes a jolly fellow as hope grows."

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