What role does an otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon play in such a major procedure?
A. As an otolaryngologist – facial plastic surgeon, I performed the dissection of the critical structures in both the donor patient face harvest and in the inset and reperfusion of the flap in the recipient. After transferring the critical vessel, nerve, muscle and bony components of the face, I performed the microvascular anastomosis which reestablished the blood flow to the new face. Performing the many complex steps of such an extensive surgery requires a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the superficial and deep structures of the face and neck. That kind of understanding is unique to otolaryngologist – head and neck surgeons. Q. What’s the difference between facial transplant, reconstructive facial surgery, and cosmetic surgery? A. Facial transplantation is not cosmetic surgery. It is done to restore function and form to patients with severe facial injury and disfigurement, where conventional techniques would be inadequate. Due to the need for immunosuppression, it is also n
