André Gayoso, 35, had half his jaw reconstructed using bone and skin from his right leg after falling on a metal bar while chasing a thief who stole his phone. The incident occurred in São Paulo, Brazil, in October 2022, leaving him in a coma for 13 days and resulting in 11 corrective surgeries so far.
The Incident
Gayoso was heading home from a night out when a biker snatched his phone while he waited for an Uber. He chased the thief but tripped and fell face-first onto a metal bar outside a shop, breaking his lower jaw and losing six teeth. He was hospitalized 600 meters away and spent a week in the ICU.
Medical Reconstruction
Doctors initially attempted a skin graft from his left forearm, which failed. They then performed an 11-hour surgery to replace 7 cm of bone in his chin using his right fibula. He also had prosthetic teeth inserted and three plastic surgeries to reshape his mouth. A tracheostomy was fitted for 11 months to aid breathing during multiple surgeries.
Recovery and Costs
Gayoso lost 20 kg during his coma and faced significant medical debt. Major surgeries were covered by health insurance, but he paid for minor procedures himself. He has since undergone micropigmentation to restore lip color and plans beard and hair implants.
Personal Impact
Gayoso, who was in São Paulo promoting his sunglasses brand, noted that his sunglasses survived the accident without a scratch. He later drove cars over them to test their durability. He said, 'It was very hard. When I woke up it was very scary because I couldn’t talk because I’d lost part of my jaw and mouth and I couldn’t move.'
