In a photo that has to be seen to be believed, surgeons in Fuzhou, China, a 22-year-old man has grown a nose on his forehead following a traffic accident that damaged the one on his face.
According to an article in TIME, following the accident Xiaolian suffered injuries to his nose, which led to an infection and deformity.
Incredibly, using cartilage from Xiaolian’s ribs, doctors were able to implant a new nose under the tissue on his forehead. Later this month, when it finishes 'growing', the nose will be transplanted to replace the damaged nose.
Though incredible, it's not the first time such surgery has been performed. Earlier this year, British doctors at the University College of London were able to 'grow' an identical nose on a 56-year-old man's arm after skin cancer destroyed his original nose. It's not clear whether the replacement nose, which took three months to grown, is functional enough to detect smells.
Still, pioneering doctors hope this procedure will eventually be available for victim of car accidents and wounded soldiers.
Are you amazed or just generally grossed out by medical advancements?
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