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'It isn’t like Face/Off': The surgeon who performed this extreme face transplant explains how he did it

The surgery involved more than 100 people. The doctor’s team practiced for more than a year.

PATRICK HARDISON’S FACE burned off while he was working as a volunteer firefighter in 2001. In August 2015, Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez gave him a new one.

It was the most extensive face transplant ever, involving more than 100 people. Dr. Rodriguez’s team practiced for more than a year.

Once the operation began on August 16, he took just three short breaks, mostly just because he had to use the bathroom.

“A total face transplant with the scalp had never been done,” Rodriguez, the chair of NYU’s Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, told Business Insider.

“The eyelids are functioning currently on Patrick — that is a hugely important medical accomplishment.”

This was not Rodriguez’s first face transplant, but it was his most extreme one. The whole procedure took 26 hours: 12 hours to procure the face from the donor, seven hours to remove the scarred face, and 10 hours to complete the transplant.

“It’s not like a recipe that we follow,” Rodriguez said.

“No one rests until we’re finished. It’s kind of what we’re mentally prepared to do.”

face1 A side-by-side comparison of Hardison's face before and after the transplant. AP AP

Screening process

Hardison went through NYU Langone Medical Centre’s extensive and rigorous screening process, and was finally declared eligible for a face transplant.

They don’t take everyone. Rodriguez only performs face transplants for patients who have a deformity and have been unsuccessfully treated by conventional surgery. Hardison had more than 70 surgeries over the past dozen years. He was given skin grafts and prosthetic ears. But problems persisted. He didn’t have functioning eyelids, and his face remained bone-white.

His face donor was David Rodebaugh. Just two days before the procedure, Rodebaugh was declared brain-dead following a biking accident in Brooklyn earlier this year. LiveOn NY, an organisation that matches organ donors with recipients, notified Rodriguez, and the doctor summoned Hardison to come to NYU Langone.

The surgery was immensely complicated. Rodebaugh’s face had to be removed with precise, perfect cuts. Rodriguez had to connect every blood vessel, artery, and nerve to Hardison’s scalp. As he stabilised the skeleton, reconstructed muscles and tissue, and worked on the fine details of Hardison’s lips, eyelids, and neck skin, his focus was laserlike.

“Once you’re in, there’s nothing else on my mind but getting this patient out of the operating room safely,” Rodriguez said.

face2 This 1999 family photo provided by Lori Taylor shows her brother Patrick Hardison, with his two daughters, Averi, left, and Alison. AP AP

Focus

As he began the operation, Rodriguez noticed an incision on Rodebaugh’s scalp. A neurosurgeon had made it in an earlier procedure. With that incision in place, Rodriguez wasn’t sure he could do the transplant.

He had to dissect part of the face’s vascular system to see if it was healthy enough to handle the operation. He used a new piece of machinery that let him inject a special dye into the face’s vascular system to reveal precise details about its vascularity.

“Until I knew that was the case, I did not know if I could remove the scalp,” Rodriguez said.

“That was the most challenging and unexpected part of the operation.”

Face Transplant Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez Associated Press Associated Press

After 26 hours, Rodriguez and his team completed the operation. When Hardison woke up, he blinked.

His eyelids worked.

Hardison’s face looks swollen now, but Rodriguez says it’ll eventually look normal. Like any medical procedure, it takes time for everything to heal.

It isn’t like the movie Face/Off, Rodriguez said of the film where Nicolas Cage and John Travolta swap faces, where everyone looks normal right after walking out of the operating theatre. Rodriguez will keep a close eye on Harrison’s progress for a few months, but the swelling continues to subside daily.

“Patrick will ultimately look normal and function normal,” Rodriguez said.

“But there’s a process, which is part of normal surgical healing.”

Story by Jacob Shamsian and editing by Kristen Griffin

Read: “There is hope” This man just got the most extensive face transplant ever >

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    Mute Fred Jetson
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:19 PM

    Build private residential apartments. Severe shortage in Docklands area. The last thing Sheriff street needs is social housing.

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    Mute JR
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:26 PM

    @Fred Jetson: Exactly, put the workers close to the work.

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    Mute rory conway
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:20 PM

    @Fred Jetson: high rise.

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    Mute Centerro
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    Oct 11th 2017, 7:42 PM

    @Fred Jetson: and preferrably sell to Irish owners…no offence to the Canadians, American, British, Germans etc who seem to be buying up a lot of property developments.

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    Mute JR
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    Oct 12th 2017, 6:43 AM

    @Centerro: Yes, how dare they come and contribute to the economy and society…..

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    Mute Dave barrett
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:24 PM

    Cant afford it . Getting no bonus at xmas because im not in receipt of social welfare payment

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Oct 11th 2017, 7:08 PM

    @Dave barrett: lies!

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    Mute Sean Conway
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    Oct 11th 2017, 7:57 PM

    @Dave barrett: Picking on the poorest in society makes you feel good?

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    Mute Neil Carmody
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    Oct 14th 2017, 10:28 PM

    @Sean Conway: Dont assume it has feelings sean

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    Mute Richard
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:20 PM

    5.2 acres: Let’s leave 1.7 acres (generous) for grounds, stairwells, lift shafts, wall space, etc – that leaves 3.5 acres, or 14164 square metres. 120sqm (generous in Dublin) per apartment means 118 per floor. 25 floors = nearly 3,000 apartments.

    Why in God’s name are they calling it 400? You’d get 500 decent size apartments on 4 floors!

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    Mute Gareth Cooney
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    Oct 11th 2017, 5:50 PM

    @Richard: Might need to get the calculator out when the site is split into blocks of apartments to allow enough light in. Then sufficient roadways to allow access for fire brigades. Then factor in the proximity to the overhead train lines.

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    Mute prop joe
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    Oct 11th 2017, 6:12 PM

    @Richard: 5 acres is small. All apartments need to have parking storage, during closet. No point in building garbage.

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    Mute Oisín O'Connor
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    Oct 11th 2017, 7:06 PM

    @prop joe: these ones should be exempt from parking except low cost bike parking and gocar station

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    Mute D.B
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    Oct 11th 2017, 9:22 PM

    @Richard: wtf are you on about?

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    Mute MyBrokenKnees
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:21 PM

    Bubble go boom!

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:45 PM

    @MyBrokenKnees: Lack of supply and rising house price is not the same as oversupply and prices rises. No bubble at the moment

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    Mute Richard
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:22 PM

    @Kal Ipers: The population of Dublin has only gone up a couple of percent in the last 15 years – why is there a lack of supply?!

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:58 PM

    @Richard: Because the age profile of the population changed. A 10 year old doesn’t need a property but a 25 year old does. I also don’t believe it has gone up by only 2%. It will be 5 years before we meet current demands but won’t meet the demand that will exist in 5 years

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    Mute Antoin O Lachtnain
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:59 PM

    @Richard: the population has grown by 25 percent over the last 15 years. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Dublin_Area

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Oct 11th 2017, 5:07 PM

    @Antoin O Lachtnain: Just about to point that out too

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    Mute Gareth Cooney
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    Oct 11th 2017, 5:46 PM

    @Richard: because the banks and NAMA put developers into receivership about 8-9 years ago. No developer no supply simple as.

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    Mute Sean
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    Oct 11th 2017, 8:35 PM

    @Antoin O Lachtnain: Greater Dublin includes Meath, Kildare and Wicklow from the map shown. Those counties aren’t in Dublin which is what the original poster referred to.

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    Mute Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:19 PM

    Here we go again.

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    Mute Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:21 PM

    @Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: deja vu

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    Mute Darren Bates
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:42 PM

    @Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: would you rather we wouldn’t build? This plot needs big, executive style apartments

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    Mute Fabio Dillon
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:56 PM

    @Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: silly comment

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    Mute ginger tomatoes i9
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:10 PM

    Why not put out a tender offer to build for set price, but government retains ownership and sells or rents directly to families/workers.

    Makes more sense than selling for buttons to a developer whole make a mint once completes the build

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:38 PM

    @ginger tomatoes i9:
    Correct me if I’m wrong but the state doesn’t own this site so they would have to buy it first.

    That said your idea about state owned building isn’t a bad idea but not in the city centre where the land is so expensive.

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    Mute phil
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    Oct 11th 2017, 6:46 PM

    “Makes more sense than selling for buttons to a developer whole make a mint once completes the build”

    Any chance of a job with wherever you are working. If you consider over 5 million an acre buttons.

    In this case I hope whoever buys and develops the land makes an absolute killing. Takes some balls to put that amount of money up front given what happened to housing demand in 08

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    Mute Dave
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:39 PM

    East road not East street, no?

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    Mute Maciek Sz
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:48 PM

    @Dave: yeah, there is no East street in docklands

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    Mute OnTheOutside
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    Oct 11th 2017, 3:22 PM

    Seems like a bargain if you ask me

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    Mute alphanautica
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:14 PM

    How about a casino and world park, with exotic foods from every country?

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    Mute Kieran Monaghan
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    Oct 11th 2017, 8:32 PM

    @alphanautica: and a monorail

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    Mute Colin Morris
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:21 PM

    Who currently owns it?

    It needs to be subject to a CPO by Dublin City Council.

    Then high rise apartment blocks (thirty floors minimum each) need to be built on this and these can be sold as affordable housing to people working in the IFSC.

    These apartments must not be abandoned to the free market because of the cancerous opportunism of that failed system.

    The housing emergency is too serious to trust the market here.,

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:54 PM

    @Colin Morris: That sounds ghastly. Would you be prepared to live in it? I wouldn’t.

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    Mute Colin Morris
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    Oct 11th 2017, 5:00 PM

    @Neal Ireland Hello.: Yes.

    Most of these apartments would be 1 and 2 bed places – ideal for the people working in the Dockalnds areas. Most would be childless so facilities for children are unneeded.

    3000 flats in high rises would sort out the housing emergency in Dublin.

    That is why the market cannot be trusted with this – they don’t care about the national emergency.

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    Mute Gareth Cooney
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    Oct 11th 2017, 5:53 PM

    @Colin Morris: the housing problem was caused by Nama so it can be sorted by Nama but not at the expense of the free market.

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    Mute Andrew Loughlin
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    Oct 11th 2017, 6:19 PM

    @Colin Morris: having lived in the area for 7 years 2009-2016 and raised my first child to the age of 2 before moving. I can tell you there are plenty of families there in need of the facilities you claim are not needed.

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    Mute phil
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    Oct 11th 2017, 6:50 PM

    @Colin Morris: No, let the sites be developed and sold as normal. People working in some of the bigger companies based in the Docklands can well afford to pay a good price for their apartments.

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    Mute Colin Morris
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    Oct 12th 2017, 12:39 AM

    @phil: Yes they can afford a good price. The free market will over charge though.

    The free market is a dismal failure

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    Mute Colin Morris
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    Oct 12th 2017, 12:42 AM

    @Andrew Loughlin:

    Good for you.

    Facilities for children are not hugely important in areas where only a minority of people have them though, I’m sure you’ll agree.

    Parents get too many benefits at the expense of childless people already.

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    Mute Colin Morris
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    Oct 12th 2017, 12:43 AM

    @Gareth Cooney:

    NAMA is a result of the free market.

    The free market is a failed model.

    There is a national housing emergency.

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    Mute Gerard Kinsella
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:04 PM

    It fails to mention that this yard backs onto the Irish Rail Freight yard…handy if you like listening to the rumble of freight trains during the middle of the night.

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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:01 PM

    The celtic tiger is sure back. Who is going to watch the watchers, as we see the price of
    price of property in Ireland beginning to spire once more.

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    Mute Gerard Kinsella
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:09 PM

    The article fails to mention that the land backs onto Irish Rails Freight yard where heavy goods trains are shunted day and night..handy if you like the sound of trains rumbling around during the early hours of the night.

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    Mute Fluich Go Craicean
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    Oct 11th 2017, 9:19 PM

    @Gerard Kinsella: decent windows block noise

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    Mute D.B
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    Oct 11th 2017, 9:24 PM

    @Fluich Go Craicean: decent Windows?? Lol

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    Mute Oliver
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    Oct 11th 2017, 8:05 PM

    5 acres?? What about 100s of acres in the docks that is under state ownership that houses ship containers? High rise units here would ease the Dublin housing crisis.

    Why can’t the state start moving Port operations out of large amount of land that is on the city’s doorstep. Could be used to serve ifsc, social housing. Extend the luas from the point and you have public transport sorted.

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Oct 11th 2017, 4:51 PM

    a huge LIDl

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    Mute Robbie Masterson
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    Oct 11th 2017, 9:02 PM

    East Road, East Wall , Dublin 3 , the bottom of Johnny Cullen’s Hill

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    Mute Niall Cassidy
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    Oct 11th 2017, 6:31 PM

    East road FFS!

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Oct 11th 2017, 9:44 PM

    Can’t place the site exactly, probably the old L& N site or near too,but it seems to adjoin a quite extensive East Wall residential community, some high rise, some older council type homes, a very long established & integrated community, very Dub. Worked & socialised with them for a generation, I consider myself an envious “expat”, & I hope that lots of them get to live in their own patch.

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    Mute Rab Mac Aonghusa
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    Oct 11th 2017, 5:37 PM

    East Road

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    Oct 15th 2017, 12:47 AM

    Talking to a financial analyst working in London, next recession is due to hit us in 2020, this will be worth €5mill

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