Oscar, first person ever to receive a new face, is returning home from Vall D’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, where he underwent a full face transplant in March.

"Friends, I want to thank the hospital coordinators, the entire medical team, the family of the donor and most of all my family who are supporting me these days," the 31-year-old Spanish farmer told the news conference.

His sister, speaking on her brother’s behalf, said, “He is looking forward to walking down the street without having people looking at him five times. He wants to go back and do the things that he loved like hunting and fishing. We want to have a family meal together.”

The full face transplant was considered after nine previous operations failed. The operation took 30 experts 24 hours to perform and almost 2 years to plan.

Oscar’s face, disfigured from a gunshot accident, was transplanted with muscles, nose, lips, maxilla, palate, all teeth, cheekbones, and the mandible by means of plastic surgery and micro-neurovascular reconstructive surgery techniques.
It was the first time that a complete facial reconstruction was performed. All other 10 face transplants performed previously were only partial.

Doctors expect Oscar to regain up to 90% of his facial functions. Oscar said he has feeling in most of his face and he can move his eyebrow and chew and swallow again.

Although he needs to time, he is improving and he is learning to talk now.