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What is Facial Bone Reconstruction?
Factors
such as facial injury, a birth defect or cancer surgery may
cause unpleasant facial distortion. On top of the change in
appearance, the functions of adjacent structures such as the
eye, ear, nose, mouth, cheek and neck may be compromised. In
such cases, Facial Bone Reconstructive surgery is performed
to repair the skin, muscles, cartilages, bones and soft
tissue structures in the facial area.
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Effects of Facial Bone Reconstruction
The
outcome of this surgery is a more natural facial appearance,
in addition to the fact that the patient would have a boost
in self-confidence, especially when facing other people.
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Candidates for Facial Bone
Reconstruction
Good candidates for Facial Bone Reconstruction have one or
more of the following conditions:
-
Birth defects (such as hypertelorism, Crouzon's disease,
Apert's syndrome)
-
Injuries to the head, face, or jaws (maxillofacial)
-
Tumors
-
Deformities caused by treatments of tumors
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Your
Consultation
BHMG’s
Board Certified Surgeon will do a thorough examination to
assess your overall health and condition, as well as ask for
your complete medical history. Ideally, the patient should
have no health problems.
Pre-operative and post-operative photos will be taken of
every patient who wishes to undergo this procedure.
To
prevent infection, antibiotics will be prescribed at the
time of surgery. Also, you will be advised to avoid taking
drugs containing aspirin to minimize the possibility of
excess bleeding. You may also be directed to shower with an
antiseptic soap on the night before or morning of your
surgery.
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The Facial Bone Reconstruction Surgery
Procedure
Facial Bone Reconstruction surgery can last as long as 4 to
12 hours and under general anesthesia. The surgery involves
treatment to repair deformities or trauma of the head and
face (craniofacial). The face is comprised of four major
bones: maxilla, zygoma, mandible and the frontal bone of the
cranium. The specific surgery to be performed will depend
on the type and severity of deformity or injury.
Pieces of bone (bone grafts) may be obtained from the
pelvis, ribs or skull to fill in the spaces where bones on
the face and head have been moved. To hold the bones in
place, small metal screws and plates may be used. The jaws
may be wired together so the new bones will stay in place.
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Recovery
The
first couple of days after the surgery may be spent in the
intensive care unit. The duration, however, will depend on
the extent of surgery and need for close monitoring of the
airway. Most patients who have no complications are able to
leave the hospital within a week. Complete healing can take
up to 6 weeks.
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Risks
As with any other surgery, some risks might occur, and these
may differ from patient to patient, depending on a variety
of factors. Risks
include bleeding, infection, nerve damage (cranial nerve
dysfunction), permanent scarring, partial or total loss of
bone grafts, need for follow-up surgery.
The other side effects are temporary
swelling of the face, mouth or neck and temporary blockage
of the airway, requiring tracheotomy.
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Frequently Asked
Questions
Q: Who
are the best candidates for a facial bone reconstruction
procedure?
A:
The
Facial Bone Reconstruction procedure is ideally performed on
people who
have suffered birth defects (such as hypertelorism,
Crouzon's disease, Apert's syndrome), injuries to the head,
face, or jaws (maxillofacial), tumors caused by cancer and
deformities caused by treatments of these tumors.
Q: How
long will the procedure take?
A:
The procedure may last between 4 to 12 hours depending on
the degree of the surgery.
Q:
What type of anesthesia will be used for this procedure?
A:
A general anesthesia is normally used for this type of
surgery.
Q:
What can I expect after the surgery?
A:
Depending on the degree of surgery and need for close
monitoring of the airway, patients may spend the first
couple of days after surgery in the intensive care unit. If
there are no complications, most patients can go home within
a week. However, total healing can take up to 6 weeks.
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