Chimp Attack Victim Gets New Face

Charla Nash is seen in this photo smiling prior to her injury. In the attack, the chimp, named Travis, ripped off her hands, nose, lips and eyelids.  As a result, Nash was unable to see, touch or smell. She struggled to eat through a straw.  (Courtesy of the Nash family )

Charla Nash, after her face transplant, at Brigham and Women's Hospital.  (Lightchaser Photography)

Nash is pictured after the chimp attack. 

Surgeons prepare Nash of Stamford, Conn., for a face and hand transplant at Bringham and Women's Hospital in Boston.  Nash was attacked by her friend's pet 200-pound chimpanzee two years ago.  After she was attacked, Nash's brother told the media she had feared the chimp, who was her friend's pet. She had been hospitalized for several months at the Cleveland Clinic following the attack.  The 14-year-old chimp, who had once starred in TV commercials, was shot and killed by police Feb. 16, 2009, when he tried to attack a police officer responding to the assault on Nash. Test results showed that Travis had the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in his system at the time of the attack. (Lightchaser Photography)

The Brigham and Women's Hospital team, which consisted of more than 30 physicians, nurses, residents and other clinical staff, at work during the 20-hour procedure. 

Dr. Philip Blazar, a surgeon in the Orthopedics Department (left) and Dr. Christian Sampson, a surgeon in the Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Department.  (Lightchaser Photography)

Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, director of the Plastic Surgery Transplantation program at BWH, Dr. Daniel Alam, head of the Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery in the Head and Neck Institute at Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Julian Pribaz, a surgeon in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at BWH.  (Lighchaser Photography)

Dr. Elof Eriksson, Ph.D, chief of BWH Plastic Surgery, carries the donor tissue. 

Dr. Stephanie Caterson, a surgeon in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department. 

Dr. Matthew Carty, a surgeon in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at Bringham and Women's Hospital. 

Brianna Nash, Charla's daughter, sees her mother after surgery. 

Charla's brother, Steve Nash, visits with his sister following the ground-breaking surgery.

Members of the surgical team pose for a photo after the 20-hour marathon surgery was completed.