Aerospace engineer, 34, has his nose 'rebuilt' after it was ripped of by his pet dog... using part of his rib and hip
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A man lost his nose when his dog ripped it off while trying to save him from a seizure — but surgeons were able to build him a new one using part of his rib.
Ben Horne, 34, had suffered with epilepsy since his teens, but after undergoing a change of medication started having night seizures.
During one attack, his dog Henry became 'spooked' and mauled his face, ripping off his nose, and parts of his mouth and chin.
The injuries were so severe, the aerospace engineer of Yeovil, Somerset, was barley able to talk but managed to call for an ambulance.
Over the last five years he has struggled to come to terms with his new appearance and undergone ten operations to reconstruct his face, using bones from his ribs and skin from his forearm and forehead.
Ben Horne, 34, has suffered with epilepsy since he was 15 but after undergoing a change of medication he started having night seizures
Mr Horne is finally starting to accept his new face and hopes by sharing his story and he can help others going through similarly traumatic experiences.
Mr Horne said: 'During one of my night seizures my dog got spooked.
'In the process he did a lot of damage to my face.
'My whole house was plastered in blood. I called 999. I couldn’t really talk but I managed to convey I needed an ambulance.
'When I came round a nurse said ‘I’m going to hand you a mirror and it’s going to be a big shock.
'I couldn’t quite believe the amount of damage. It was heart-breaking. I’m really trying to accept myself.
'It’s learning to love yourself and the way that you are rather than reflecting on how you used to be.'
During one episode, his dog Henry became spooked and mauled his face, ripping off his nose, and parts of his mouth and chin. he is pictured here before the accident
The aerospace engineer of Yeovil, Somerset, pictured here before the accident, was left him barley able to talk he managed to call for an ambulance
After the incident in November 2019, Mr Horne's top lip was hanging down, he had lost a lot of his chin and was only left with the septum bone in his nose.
He was rushed to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, for a 10-hour emergency operation to piece what they could back together.
'I remember looking in the mirror and I just wished that I hadn’t managed to call an ambulance,' Mr Horne said.
'I didn’t see how I could live with what happened,' he added.
Due to the pandemic, he did not start reconstructive surgery until May 2021 at Southmead hospital, Bristol.
After the incident in November 2019, Mr Horne's top lip was hanging down, he had lost a lot of his chin and was only left with the septum bone in his nose
Due to the pandemic, he did not start reconstructive surgery until May 2021 at Southmead hospital, Bristol
The initial reconstructive surgery involved creating more of a septum — the middle part, made to flexible cartilage — for his nose.
However, this collapsed shortly after and he had to wait until October 2021 for the next op, during which surgeons took skin from his left forearm to create the inner part of his nose.
Mr Horne said: 'Both my forearms are tattooed so I had to make a decision over which I preferred.
'At least I can say I have a tattooed inside in my nose.'
They also took bones from his ribs in the same surgery and an artery from his forearm to connect this into his neck.
'I found it very difficult. I always tried to keeping looking forward,' he said.
'Having a tattooed chunk on my face that I had to put make-up on every day.'
Surgeons took skin from his left forearm, which was tattooed, to create the inner part of his nose
During another surgery part of his forehead skin was taken and folded over the top of his tattooed skin
He had another surgery in September 2022 to take part of the skin from his forehead and fold it down over the top of the tattooed skin.
He said: 'Having the forehead flap - it was huge on my face.
'They have to leave the skin connected so you have a huge lump hanging over your eyes.'
There was more surgery in March 2023, where bone from his hip and the cartilage from his rib was grafted in — after the previous donor bone got infected.
He still needs plastic tubes to help him breathe (pictured) so the next step is to find a way to remove those without his nose closing up
In May 2023, Mr Horne had the forehead skin disconnected and the team have since been completing operation to work on the structure of his nose.
He still needs plastic tubes to help him breathe so the next step is to find a way to remove those without his new nose closing up.
Mr Horne is now starting to accept his new appearance but has struggled with stares.
He said: 'It’s very difficult when you see people staring at you. I liken it to a dream where you are naked in public.
'You want to hide but you can’t. You can’t change things and what has happened.'
Mr Horne's dog Henry, who had for 10 years before the accident, has now been rehomed after an assessment and is happy in his new family.
He told MailOnline that he has chosen not to make the breed of the dog public.
Now, Mr Horne is fundraising to support Exeter Plastic Surgery and Epilepsy Action and will be taking part in two Tough Mudder races, and two 50k races.
