Doctors in Xi'an yesterday completed the second of several planned operations to build a new face for 19-year-old Wang Na.

Liu Yanpu, director of Maxillofacial Surgery at the Fourth Military Medical University's Oral Hospital in Xi'an, the capital of northwest Shaanxi Province, said the operation helped to uplift the girl's sagging face by rebuilding her jawbones.

"It is the most difficult and crucial part of the whole process to rebuild her 'pit' face," he said.

Wang, a farmer from Heyang County in Shaanxi Province, has been suffering from facial malformation since the age of two. Her condition has led to the retroversion of her nose and cheekbones, which affects her ability to speak, and she is able to eat only soft foods.

It is a rare case, doctors said.

Wang underwent her first operation on September 5, 2006. Yesterday's procedure lifted her cheek area by 10.5 mm so that her face is now taking on a "normal" shape, Zhao Yimin, dean of the hospital, said.

Liu said the second phase was postponed because of some problems associated with malnutrition and low bone mineral density.

During the 12-hour operation, doctors removed part of Wang's left leg and used it to repair her face, Liu said.

According to hospital sources, doctors prepared for the surgery by creating a skeletal model of Wang's face using data taken from a scan, which they then used to carry out a simulation of the actual surgery.

Liu said five other operations are scheduled to be carried out including one to rebuild Wang's teeth and nose.

"If the recovery goes well, we will carry out the third operation in June," Liu said.

(China Daily April 19, 2007)