Face reconstruction means restoration of form and function of different parts of the face damaged either by trauma, infection, tumors or by birth defects.

Trauma: Road traffic accidents, glass cut injuries, burns, fall, industrial trauma, assault 

Infections: Bacterial infections, fungal infections, leishmaniasis (parasite infection transmitted by bite of sand flies common in desert areas)

Tumors: Skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma), soft tissue tumors (sarcoma, vascular tumors)

Birth defects: defects of lip, ear, eyelid, chin and nose defects

Common defects that present for face reconstruction are loss of skin and soft tissue and/or bones require one or more than one surgeries to reconstruct them.

If only skin is lost then the face is reconstructed with skin grafts taken from areas of the body where skin is matched with the face. If skin and soft tissue is involved, flap surgery is required from local, regional or distant tissue. Same is required when there is involvement of bones or loss of bone in which case bone grafts or artificial materials are required along with flaps. 

In more complex reconstructions staged surgeries are required to achieve acceptable results.

FAQ

1. What is the procedure/stages of reconstruction?

Depending on the area involved, like nose and ear requires staged surgery in complex defects while 1 to 2 cm defect on lower lip can be repaired in one stage.

2. What are the outcomes of complex reconstructions?

Results vary with patient to patient but are acceptable in expert hands. 

3. What is recovery time?

In simple one stage procedures you may need one to 2 days of hospitalization. In complex reconstructions you may need to stay in the intensive care unit for 1-2 days and will be moved out if you remain stable and discharged home in one week. Complete recovery or healing  may take 4-6 weeks or even more.  

 

Written by:  Dr. Fahmina

Copyrights: Pakistan association of Plastic Surgeons