Surgically Improving Facial Appearance While Ensuring Proper Function
Facial reconstructive surgery is a form of facial plastic surgery. It differs from pure
cosmetic surgery, which generally takes a normal structure on the face and improves its appearance with surgery. Reconstructive surgery takes a structure that is abnormal or altered and uses surgery to improve or restore the appearance, structure and function.
With reconstructive surgery, the structural abnormalities may be due to how a baby develops during pregnancy; or, very often, the structural problem is due to injury or trauma, or a defect created to cure a cancer. This reconstruction attempts to use skin and tissue flaps to replace and reconstruct the defect or abnormality.
When the repair entails a large or deep defect, it may require the moving or rotating muscle and skin flaps from other areas of the head and neck to accomplish a repair. Reconstruction of the facial skeleton, the skull, or the jawbone will often require a combined approach with a microvascular surgeon for transfer of tissue and bone from the arm or leg to reconstruct the defect. In all cases, the function of the eye and eye lids for sight and eye safety, the function of the nose for breathing, and the function of the mouth of eating and speech are the main concern of the surgery. Restoration of appearance and function is the hallmark of good reconstructive plastic surgery.
The Christ Hospital Health Network’s board-certified otolaryngologists advise you in the necessary steps for reconstruction, and perform the surgery and coordinate with other specialists as needed.
The Christ Hospital Physicians - Ear, Nose & Throat
Our comprehensive specialists of The Christ Hospital Physicians – Ears, Nose & Throat offer children and adults diagnostic, surgical and follow-up care; voice disorder evaluation and treatment options; hearing assessments and recommendations; and a full spectrum of allergy testing and management.