ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT04057638Updated Oct 30, 2026

Craniomaxillofacial and Upper Extremity Allotransplantation

An interventional study of Combined Craniomaxillofacial and Upper Extremity Allotransplantation in Face Injuries, Hand Injuries and Craniofacial Injuries, sponsored by NYU Langone Health. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 64 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-30.

Sponsored by NYU Langone Health · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Jun 2019; still recruiting 7 years 4 months later.
Updated Oct 30, 2026Primary completion movedStudy completion movedGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
10
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years to 64 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate functional and aesthetic outcomes of combined facial and upper extremity composite tissue allografts on patients who have not achieved functional and aesthetic outcomes with conventional reconstructive surgical strategies and prosthetic devices.

Read the detailed description

The purpose of this study is to see if an investigational surgery that transfers tissue from a non-living donor to a living individual will help restore greater function, appearance, and sensation to the face and upper extremity areas of individuals who have suffered injury to those areas. Upper extremity constitutes the part of the body including arm, forearm and hand. This procedure is called combined craniomaxillofacial and upper extremity allotransplantation or "combined face and upper extremity transplant".

This study will also collect data on how patients do during and after having a combined face and upper extremity transplant from a nonliving donor. Recovery and outcomes will be observed through clinical exams, x-rays, blood and tissue tests, and other associated evaluations at all follow up visits.

Participants are invited to take part in this research study who have suffered severe injury to the face and upper extremity and previous surgeries to repair the injury have not restored function, appearance, and sensation. Participants must have attempted a trial of prosthetics (artificial upper extremity), if at all possible.

02

Conditions studied

  • Face Injuries
  • Hand Injuries
  • Craniofacial Injuries
  • Upper Extremity Injuries
  • Facial Injuries
  • Facial Deformity

Keywords

  • Transplants
  • Transplantation
  • Craniomaxillofacial Transplantation
  • Upper Extremity Transplantation
  • Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA)
03

In context

Facial Injuries

22 studies on the registry are indexed under Facial Injuries; 5 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 10 is below the median of 15 across 13 interventional studies indexed under Facial Injuries.

Browse Facial Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

NYU Langone Health is the lead sponsor of 1,430 studies on the registry; 258 are open to participants now.

Of its 235 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 197 (84%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 64 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Signed and dated all required Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved consent forms.
  • Male or female recipient between the ages of 18-64 years. Recipients do not need to be of the same sex as the donor.
  • Facial composite tissue defect requiring facial transplantation as determined by the treating Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Inclusive facial functional subunit tissue loss. Including but not limited to irreparable peri-oral, peri-orbital, and peri-nasal damage.
  • Missing part of one or both hands and forearms.
  • Must be negative at the time of transplant.
  • Crossmatch is negative at the time of transplant.
  • Patient has been encouraged to seek a second opinion from a Plastic Surgeon with specialized focus in facial reconstruction.
  • Patient has been encouraged to seek a second opinion from a Plastic Surgeon with specialized focus in upper extremity reconstruction.
  • Willingness to participate in ongoing psychiatric, psychological and social work evaluations prior to and post-transplant surgery.
  • The subject is able to complete pre-transplant examination and screening procedures.
  • Patient has been approved by Patient Selection Committee for placement on the recipient waiting list.
  • The subject is willing to continue regimen as directed by treating physician.
  • Subject is willing and able to return to follow-up visits as described in treatment plan.
  • Subjects must have autogenous tissue options available for reconstruction in event of graft failure.
  • Normal (GFR) >60.
  • Negative pregnancy test within 48hrs of transplant for women of childbearing age and who agree to use a reliable form of for one year following transplant.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Uncontrolled infection or severe concomitant diseases which would exclude the recipient from transplantation
  • Serious co-morbidities
  • Positive serology for ; Antigen
  • Active within 5 years with the exclusion of non-melanoma
  • Substance abuse disorders not currently under control (as determined by the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test - see Appendix N.1: Subjects with a score of 3 or more will be excluded)
  • Body Dysmorphic disorder (see Appendix N.2 for screening tool). Less severe psychiatric conditions are addressed on a case by case basis
  • Active Severe Psychiatric Illness
  • Cognitive limitations affecting the patient's ability to provide
  • Recent history of medical non-adherence
  • Unstable social situation as evidence by lack of stable housing and/or lack of a supportive significant other.
  • Recent history of medical non-adherence.
  • Lack of stable housing and/or supportive significant other/caregiver throughout all phases of the study
  • Currently active smoker within 1 year
  • Subjects with any cognitive deficits related to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and or any organic neurological disorders
  • Any other psychological status that would hinder the success or safety of the transplantation.
  • Level of amputation proximal to mid-humerus: some presence of proximal muscles is required to motor a functioning hand.
  • Congenital Abnormalities: co-existent absence/atrophy/agenesis of any tissue may affect post-transplant results
  • History of amputation of less than six months: subject must be allowed to attempt prosthetic use prior to hand transplantation. This can be waived in cases where the recipient requires amputation/revision of the transplant site at the time of transplantation. However, if at all possible, it is highly encouraged that the patient has ruled out prosthetics as an alternative to transplantation.
  • Blindness: blind amputees may be poor candidates because sensory return in the hand may not provide sufficient protective sensation
  • Pregnancy
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(7)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Treatment group

    There will only be the treatment group in this study, which undergoes microvascular VCA transplantation. There will be no randomization, placebo or control groups.

    Procedure: Combined Craniomaxillofacial and Upper Extremity Allotransplantation

Interventions

  • ProcedureCombined Craniomaxillofacial and Upper Extremity Allotransplantation

    Combined Craniomaxillofacial and Upper Extremity Allotransplantation

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in function of the transplanted facial segment

    This will be measured using electromyogram (EMG)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  2. Change in function of the transplanted facial segment

    This will be measured using nerve conduction studies (NCS)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  3. Change in function of the transplanted facial segment

    This will be measured using computerized tomography angiogram (CTA)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  4. Change in function of the transplanted facial segment

    This will be measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  5. Change in function of the transplanted facial segment

    This will be measured using vision exams

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  6. Change in function of the upper extremity transplant

    This will be measured using pathology samples to check for rejection

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  7. Change in function of the upper extremity transplant

    This will be measured using electromyogram (EMG)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  8. Change in function of the upper extremity transplant

    This will be measured using nerve conduction studies (NCS)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  9. Change in function of the upper extremity transplant

    This will be measured using computerized tomography angiogram (CTA)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  10. Change in function of the upper extremity transplant

    This will be measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  11. Change in appearance of the transplanted facial segment

    This will be measured using photography

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

  12. Change in appearance of the upper extremity transplant

    This will be measured using photography

    Time frame: Monthly for 6 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually up to year 5

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • NYU Langone Health
    New York, New York 10017, United States
    Recruiting
    • Elie Ramly, MD · ContactElie.Ramly@nyulangone.org · 929-455-5824
    • Thomas Calahan, BA · ContactThomas.Calahan@nyulangone.org · 9294555826
    • Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, DDS · Principal investigator
    • Allyson Alfonso, BS · Sub investigator
    • Jonathan Bass, MD · Sub investigator
    • Aileen Blitz, MD · Sub investigator
    • Arthur Kaplan, PhD · Sub investigator
    • Daniel Ceradini, MD · Sub investigator
    • David Chiu, MD · Sub investigator
    • Mihye Choi, MD · Sub investigator
    • Roberto Flores, MD · Sub investigator
    • Bruce Gelb, MD · Sub investigator
    • Alyssa Golas, MD · Sub investigator
    • Jacques Hacquebord, MD · Sub investigator
    • Jamie Levine, MD · Sub investigator
    • Elie Ramly, MD · Sub investigator
    • Allison Rojas, MS, RN · Sub investigator
    • Stephen Ross, MD · Sub investigator
    • Pierre Saadeh, MD · Sub investigator
    • Sheel Sharma, MD · Sub investigator
    • David Staffenberg, MD · Sub investigator
    • Vishal Thanik, MD · Sub investigator
08

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2026→Jan 1, 2032
Oct 30, 2026
Study completion
Jan 1, 2026→Jan 1, 2032
Oct 30, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 30, 2026
    Primary completion Jan 1, 2026→Jan 1, 2032
    Study completion Jan 1, 2026→Jan 1, 2032
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04057638
Lead sponsor
NYU Langone Health
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 15, 2019
Start date
Jun 17, 2019
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2032 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 1, 2032 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 30, 2026

Study contacts

Thomas Calahan, BA
Contact
Thomas.Calahan@nyulangone.org
(929) 455-5826
Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, DDS
principal investigator · NYU Langone Medical Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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