US surgeons carry out life-changing op
Updated on 12 June 2007
An Irish teenager was born without a lower jaw is undergoing a series of operations so that doctors in New York can rebuild him a mandible and a chin.
Alan Doherty has completed his first session of surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Centre.
He is one of just two people known to have the condition, called otofacial syndrome, which leaves him unable to eat, speak or breathe without help.
He feeds through a tube inserted into his stomach and communicates by typing out messages on a keyboard he wears attached to a computer that speaks for him.
Mr Doherty said: "People are always staring at me from when I was small to today or yesterday, which I don't like, but I am used to it."
Now doctors at Mount Sinai want to use a piece of Alan's hip bone as a replacement for his lower jaw in an operation planned for later this year.
On Monday, they implanted the bone into the muscle in his back, where it will hopefully develop tissue and nerves.
In a later surgery the bone will be moved to Mr Doherty's face.
Doctors say that once the procedure is complete, the teen's face will appear normal but he has just a 30 per cent chance of learning to talk and eat with his new mouth.
Charity organisations are still to raise over $100,000 (£50,000) that is needed for the operation.
However his mother Bernie says for her son it will all be worth it.
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