
==== Front
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open
GOX
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open
2169-7574
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Hagerstown, MD

GOX-D-24-00774
00042
10.1097/01.GOX.0001063976.62254.8b
3
PSTM Abstract Supplement
PSTM Top Abstracts/Posters 2024
Activation in Visual Cortex on Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Following the First Human Whole Eye Transplant
Shah Alay MD 1
Chinta Sachin BS 1
Tran David MD 1
Ceradini Daniel MD 1
Gelb Bruce MD 1
Rodriguez Eduardo MD, DDS 1
NYU Langone Health
9 2024
18 9 2024
12 Suppl 32Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All rights reserved.
2024
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

OPEN-ACCESSTRUE
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pmcBACKGROUND: Utilizing regional oxygenated blood-flow, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) demonstrates cortical activity in the brain. Activity in the visual processing regions of the brain in response to visual stimulus can be demonstrated via increased activity in the occipital lobe on fMRI. Here, we present evidence of occipital lobe activation on fMRI to visual stimulus of the transplanted eye in the case of the first human whole eye transplant (WET).

METHODS: A 46-year-old male underwent partial face and whole eye transplantation with donor-recipient optic nerve (ON) coaptation after high-voltage electrical injury. At post-operative months 3 and 6, the subject underwent fMRI, where various visual stimuli were presented to him and cortical activity was measured. Imaging was captured with both eyes closed, only native eye closed, only transplanted eye closed, and both eyes open. Various stimuli were presented, including complete darkness (no stimulus), flashing white light at 2Hz, at 4Hz, and object storytelling.

RESULTS: The subject reports no vision from transplanted eye. However, during the 2Hz flashing light protocol, fMRI showed activity in the occipital lobe during visual stimulus to the transplanted eye that was comparable to that seen by visual stimulus to native eye. In the object storytelling protocol, less activity was noted with only the native eye covered than with only transplanted eye covered. The fMRI showed no occipital lobe activity with both eyes closed. These results remained consistent over the 3- month interval.

CONCLUSION: The subject demonstrates occipital lobe activity on fMRI upon exposure to visual stimulus after ON coaptation in the case of the world’s first successful WET.
