A 35-year-old man with a genetically deformed face became the recipient of a full-face transplant courtesy of French doctors, who claim it was the first such operation in history, French newspapers reported Thursday.

The Le Parisien/Aujourd'hui newspaper reported that the successful transplant was done late in June without causing harm to the patient, who now can talk and eat.

Laurent Lantieri, head of reconstructive surgery at the Creteil Henri-Mondor hospital outside Paris, told the paper he performed the transplant, including the grafting of tear ducts, and claimed it was the first of its kind.

In April, Spanish doctors also claimed performing the first full-face transplant on a young man whose face was badly disfigured from an accident.