Face transplants called surprisingly successful

LONDON - Transplanting faces may seem like science fiction, but doctors say the experimental surgeries could one day become routine.

Two of the world's three teams that have done partial face transplants reported today that their techniques were surprisingly effective, though complications exist and more work is still needed.

"There is no reason to think these face transplants would not be as common as kidney or liver transplants one day," said Dr. Laurent Lantieri, one of the French doctors who operated on a man disfigured by a genetic disease. They reported their findings today in the journal Lancet.

Chinese doctors also reported on their patient.