Man Gets Prosthetic Face (Mark Tatum; "The Man Without A Face")

[Anonymous]

Life can be very cruel sometimes.

Getting a new face after rare infection
February 8, 2002

When a rare fungal infection called mucormycosis invaded Mark Tatum's sinuses two years ago, doctors had to remove much of his face just to save his life. ...

If they hadn't taken out his infected eyes, nose, cheekbones, upper jaw and teeth, the fungus could have traveled to his brain and killed him.

"Initially, we didn't think he was going to survive. The prognosis was extremely grim," said Dr. Wayne K. Stadelmann, a plastic surgeon with the University of Louisville Medical Center. ...

Now, two years and 11 surgeries later, Tatum has a new face.

"Look at me now," the 45-year-old Owensboro, Kentucky, resident said. "I may not be beautiful, but I'm damn near it." ...

Using skin and tissue from his leg, doctors reconstructed the roof of Tatum's mouth so he could speak and eat.

Then they took a bone from his leg and put it into his face. On top of that bone they built titanium bridgework. Magnets in that bridgework hold in place a new prosthetic "face."

It was created by University of Louisville prosthodontist Zafrulla Khan, who called the prosthesis the most extensive he has ever made or heard about.

Tatum, who wears sunglasses to hide the fact that his fake eyes don't blink, hopes that the prosthetic will get him out more in public.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/02/03/prosthetic.face/index.html

 

[intaglio]

hmm, is this the revenge of the humble mushroom?

 

[ninja_cat]

Spooky, if his face is held on by magnets, then that means he can remove it. Oh no the thoought of it. Poor guy.

 

[mejane]

... and if he goes near a strong magnetic field, will he feel a strange attraction? Aaagggh :eek!!!!:

I'll never be cruel to a mushroom again.

Jane.

 

[EnolaGaia]

Here's an illustration of Tatum's craniofacial disfigurement and the prosthetic face attachment.

Photos of Tatum's disfigurement are easily found online if you wish to see how dramatic the damage was.

 

[EnolaGaia]

Finally, for the sake of closure ... Mark Tatum died circa 3 years after receiving the prosthetic face.

Mr. Mark Tatum, also known by many as the man without a face, passed 4:00 CST Saturday, February 26, 2005 at the Medco Center of Franklin, Kentucky. Tatum lost his eyes, upper jaw, and nose to a fungal infection in 2000. This type of infection is not that unusual, but the extent of the damage that it did to Tatum was very rare. ...

https://www.mold-help.org/in-memory-of-mark-tatum-the-man-without-a-face/

Find A Grave memorial page:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49631837/mark-eric-tatum