The woman who lost her nose and mouth to a rare disease when she was very young is finally getting a series of surgeries that will reconstruct her face.

Jin Qi, 27, was born in a remote village in Yunxi County, Hubei province where access to medical information and quality healthcare was not available. She had a high fever and developed a rare sepsis when she was one-year-old, which caused the loss of her nose, lips, and facial organization. Her story became an online sensation, and her supporters raised funds for her treatments that are expected to last for two years.

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On Monday, Jin underwent a 10-hour surgery at the Ninth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University to begin her rehabilitation and reconstruction. It aims to expand the flap and correct deformities in the upper jaw.  Overall, she will receive four surgeries.

Li Qingfeng, the team leader for Jin's surgeries, said that they will apply the technology of "repairing" to cultivate nose and upper lip tissues on Jin's chest area for transplant. This means that the new skin and tissues that will be used to fix her face will be made to grow from her own body and then transplanted.

"It's harder to create the nose and lips compatible to her face than in the cases of most of our adult patients because her facial bones and soft tissue have become enormously deformed or wanting over the years," said Zhu Ming, one of Jin's doctors.

The hospital has conducted 42 similar surgeries with success, but this is the first time it will be done on a patient whose deformity started so young.

The treatment will cost 400,000 yuan, but the hospital will give Jin a discount. Her online supporters have already raised 250,000 yuan.  Jin moved from Shenzhen to Shanghai and is looking for a job while going through the treatment.

 

Tagswoman with no nose and face, faceless chinese woman, breakthrough in medicine