19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|Breaking News, Weather, ExclusivesClinic Care: Cleveland Clinic Specialists Tend To Woman Mauled By Chimpanzee

Clinic Care: Cleveland Clinic Specialists Tend To Woman Mauled By Chimpanzee

Cleveland, OH - New details on the 55-year-old Connecticut woman viciously attacked and disfigured by a 200lb chimpanzee.

Travis the chimpanzee violently attacked Charla Nash while Travis' owner and Nash's friend - Sandra Herold - watched in horror.

Herold was forced to stab her beloved pet with a butcher knife and pound him with a shovel during the attack before calling 9-1-1 for help.

Nash is now hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic in critical condition with life-changing injuries to her face and hands.

According to Irene Sheil, Head of Media Relations at the Cleveland Clinic, the team is in the process of evaluating Nash and it is very premature to say that she will indeed receive a face transplant.

Statement from Cleveland Clinic

"Ms. Charla Nash was transferred to Cleveland Clinic yesterday afternoon and admitted to the hospital shortly after 4 p.m. She remains in critical but stable condition. She is receiving care from a multidisciplinary team of physicians and surgeons whose expertise is caring for patients with complex facial reconstructive needs.

Our team consists of facial plastic surgery, plastic surgery, infectious diseases, ophthalmology, orthopedics, social work, intensive care, nursing, critical transport, and more.

Ms. Nash has suffered severe trauma to her face, scalp, and hands. It will be several days to a week before we can determine the full extent of her injuries. Therefore, it will take some time before her reconstructive needs unfold to determine the next steps of her care.

At this time, the family wishes to maintain their privacy. They are deeply thankful to the medical teams at both hospitals and to the community for all of the support they have and continue to receive," Daniel Alam, M.D., facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Cleveland Clinic.

The Cleveland Clinic successfully performed the nation's first face transplant two months ago.