Facial Reanimation

Regain the feeling … of being yourself again.

For those who are living with facial nerve paralysis due to injury, brain cancer and its treatment, or due to a viral illness such as Bell’s palsy, Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons offers new hope.

Facial paralysis can be associated with surgery or radiation to treat brain stem tumors that are located near the nerve that controls facial expression. Along with the social stigma, those with facial paralysis may also experience drooling, difficulty speaking or problems closing their eyes, which in turn reduces the ability to protect the eyes and can lead to dry eye and vision problems.

Thanks to the advancement of Facial Reanimation techniques performed at Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons, those living with facial paralysis now have a truly workable solution that is effective in restoring function and self-confidence. In fact, Crystal Clinic plastic and reconstructive surgeon Derek Cody, M.D. performed the area’s first functional free-tissue transfer procedure to reverse facial paralysis.

With this facial reanimation technique, muscle is transplanted to the face to restore movement, function and symmetry. The muscle tissue is placed under the skin of the cheek using the same type of well-hidden incisions performed in a facelift. As the transplanted tissue heals and nerve function is restored over a period of months, patients have marked improvement in their ability to blink, chew, drink, speak and smile.

While facial reanimation procedures are not widely available across the U.S., those with facial paralysis don’t need to accept feeling self-conscious about their appearance or any of the physiological difficulties associated with facial palsy. Crystal Clinic is exceptionally qualified and is here to help.

To determine if Facial Reanimation is right for you and to better understand the multiple treatment options available, talk with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialist for a personal consultation. It’s your opportunity to discuss your condition, your desired results, procedure details, and any concerns or questions you may have. 

Restoring health and appearance

Plastic surgeons have devoted a significant amount of their practice to caring for patients diagnosed with skin cancer. In fact, treatment of skin cancer is the most common reconstructive procedure performed by plastic surgeons. 

Your highly-trained Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons specialist can evaluate and remove suspected skin cancers, as well as expertly repair any deformities that may result from skin cancer or its treatment. It’s a valuable combination considering most skin cancers appear on highly visible parts of the body. 

After careful evaluation of your skin, your Crystal Clinic surgeon may recommend a biopsy of a suspicious area or mole. A biopsy typically involves removal of part or all of the lesion in question in a simple, painless procedure performed right in the office. The removed specimen is then sent to a lab for further evaluation and to confirm that all cancer, if present, has been removed. Once lab results are known, additional recommendations are made if further treatment is required. 

Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons has expertise to address virtually all varieties of skin cancer, including:  

Basal Cell:
The most common form of skin cancer, basal cell is typically self-contained and does not spread to other areas of the body. It can, however, destroy normal healthy tissue. Fortunately, when treated early, the cure rate is 98 percent. Suspect basal cell skin cancer if an open sore develops and doesn’t heal in two weeks, or if an area of skin bleeds easily. These cancers can be treated with surgery or radiation therapy and, in extensive cases, both.  

Squamous Cell:
Squamous cell cancer is the second most common form of skin cancer. Unlike basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer can spread to the lymph glands and other areas of the body, especially when detected late. Squamous cell cancer is often preceded by a pre-malignant condition known as actinic keratosis, which appears as red, scaly patches of skin that can be treated by freezing or with topical creams to prevent it from advancing on to skin cancer. 

Melanoma:
Melanoma accounts for more than 85-percent of all skin cancer-related deaths. Sadly, melanoma continues to be diagnosed at an alarming rate of frequency, with one in every 75 Americans now projected to be diagnosed. Fortunately, the survival rate when detected and treated early is 95 percent. If you have a mole that is asymmetric in shape, has a scalloped or irregular border, is uneven in color or has changed color, or is larger in diameter than a pencil eraser (6mm), make an appointment to be evaluated. 

Merkel Cell Carcinoma: 
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, but fast-growing form of skin cancer most commonly found among older populations, especially those having had extensive sun exposure and/or a weakened immune system. It appears most commonly as a rapid-growing, painless growth on the face, head or neck, and may be flesh-colored or have shades of red, blue or purple. If you see a mole, freckle or bump on your skin that has been changing in size, shape or color, schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience.  

If you suspect that you may have skin cancer, why not sit down with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons specialist for a personal consultation? Together, you will discuss your condition, your options, and any concerns or questions you may have.  

The first step is to schedule an appointment.

The beauty of the real you. 

Skin deformities and irregularities resulting from traumatic accidents, burns, cancer treatment, or congenital defects can limit function and impact one’s body image and self-confidence. Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialists are experts in restoring a more natural skin appearance and normal form and function, especially in the correction of facial deformities and disfigurement. 

Our board-certified plastic surgeons are specially trained in essential reconstruction principles that can transform bodies … and lives. Applying their expertise and employing the most advanced surgical techniques, they are able to mold, shape, structure, and smooth the body to create your desired outcome. They masterfully use a patient’s own bone, soft tissue and skin from other areas of the body—as well as sophisticated synthetic materials—to create the most natural appearance and feel. From small areas of skin needing correction, to comprehensive facial reconstruction, you can have confidence in the proven expertise and artistry of our Crystal Clinic reconstructive surgery specialists. 

Skin Defect Correction at Crystal Clinic may be the ideal treatment path for those desiring revision to skin irregularities or deformities, including for the following needs:
 
• Scar revision
• Burn reconstruction
• Congenital deformity correction
• Facial reconstruction

To determine if reconstruction of skin defects or a face deformity is the right option for you, sit down with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialist for a personal and confidential consultation. It’s your opportunity to discuss your condition, your desired results, the available options, recommended procedure details, and any concerns or questions you may have.  

The first step is to schedule an appointment. An initial consultation with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons expert will not obligate you to move forward with any procedure.  

Enjoy being you again. 

Experiencing wounds to arms and legs as a result of trauma, disease, or cancer removal surgery can leave a person with limited function and a constant visual reminder of their injury. For many, the lingering physical and psychological effects can be devastating. Fortunately, there are paths back to improved mobility, appearance, and lifestyle. Let us help you get back on the road to being you again. 

Thanks to advanced upper and lower extremity reconstruction performed by our compassionate, board-certified reconstruction specialists, more patients are once again enjoying normal limb function and a more natural appearance.  

In addition to having some of the most skilled plastic surgeons on our team, we also apply the most advanced surgical and microsurgical techniques to achieve outstanding results. We expertly and artfully perform soft tissue grafts and advanced flap surgeries to repair damage, restore appearance, and help you get beyond your injury. 

As part of Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center—nationally renowned for advanced orthopaedic care—our Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialists work seamlessly with some of the top orthopeadic experts in the world. That’s a distinct advantage for reconstruction cases requiring plastic, vascular, and orthopaedic surgical expertise.   

Whether you’ve endured damage from skin cancer or another trauma, the best way to know if extremity reconstruction is right for you is to sit down with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialist. A personal consultation is your opportunity to discuss your condition, your desired results, procedure options and post-procedure details, and any concerns or questions you may have.  

The first step is to schedule an appointment. An initial consultation with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons expert will not obligate you to move forward with any procedure. 

Restoring. Revitalizing. Reestablishing. 

As social beings, our head and neck are perhaps the most consistently viewed attributes we have and are the core of our physical identity. For those living with the effects of injury, disease, or congenital deformities that have left them with diminished appearance or function, there is hope at the Crystal Clinic. 

Head and Neck Surgery has been a major component of plastic surgery expertise since the inception of plastic surgery practice. It remains a core area of focus for Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons Plastic and Reconstruction specialists. 

The scope of Head and Neck Surgery at Crystal Clinic includes:
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Surgery of the aerodigestive track
• Facial bones
• Salivary glands
• Surgery of the lymph nodes

Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons has specialized expertise in restoring both appearance and function of the head and neck for conditions resulting from the impact of cancer surgery, traumatic injury, congenital deformities, and infections. By blending the advanced expertise and precision of reconstruction with the art and science of cosmetic surgery, our team of surgeons successfully restores appearance and function, and helps people get back to having full confidence in their appearance and social interaction. 

Beyond cosmetic restoration, our highly-qualified surgeons are leading with advanced micro-surgical techniques for facial reanimation, and are trusted for even the most complex reconstruction procedures. There’s good reason to trust Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons as your choice for experience in plastic surgery.

To determine if a head or neck procedure is the right option for you, talk with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialist for a personal consultation. It’s your opportunity to discuss your condition, your desired results, procedure details, and any concerns or questions you may have.  

The first step is to schedule an appointment. An initial consultation with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons expert will not obligate you to move forward with any procedure.  

Regaining function. Reestablishing control.

For amputees, overcoming the loss of a limb is overwhelming in and of itself. Dealing with lingering phantom limb pain and having great difficulty adapting to and controlling prosthetic limbs can become nearly unbearable. 

Thanks to the advancement of Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR), performed at Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons by physicians with highly-specialized training, amputees have found a truly workable solution that is eliminating their pain and restoring limb control. 

Targeted Muscle Reinnervation is a procedure originally developed for military veterans who had suffered traumatic amputations. The surgery precisely transfers damaged nerves to new motor nerve targets to establish easier and more effective control over the patient’s myoelectric prosthesis. At the same time, TMR also relieves phantom limb pain for those with upper or lower extremity amputations. 

TMR enables more natural movement because the surgery reprograms the muscles to “fire” like they normally would. A transducer picks up the electric impulse and sends the signal to the prosthesis, triggering it to do what the brain wants it to do, just as a natural limb would follow the brain’s instruction. 

For lower and upper extremity amputees—including shoulder amputees—Crystal Clinic physicians are now able to transform lives right here, close to home. That means amputees no longer need travel to far-off locations for this innovative, highly-effective procedure. Getting back to actively participating in the activities they enjoy most begins right here at Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons.  

To determine if Targeted Muscle Reinnervation is the right option for you, talk with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialist for a personal consultation. It’s your opportunity to discuss your condition, your desired results, procedure details, and any concerns or questions you may have.  

The first step is to schedule an appointment. An initial consultation with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons expert will not obligate you to move forward with any procedure.  

Improve on the hand you’ve been dealt. 

Throughout each and every day, we all rely on our hands to perform countless tasks, from brushing our teeth to opening doors, to picking up small objects and signing our name. Unfortunately, for many, a traumatic injury, nerve damage from overuse, or a crippling progressive disease such as arthritis has severely limited their hand function. Pain and limited use have become constant reminders of their limitations. A deformed or non-functioning hand may even have become a source of embarrassment as one feels the need to hide his or her hands when around others. 

Fortunately, at Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons, your hands are in the hands of specialists who are leaders in the field of reconstruction. Through their unique blend of plastic surgery and orthopaedic expertise, our surgeons have the knowledge, skill, and experience to expertly restore hand function while also improving cosmetic appearance. 

Crystal Clinic surgeons perform a number of specialized techniques, ranging from minimally-invasive surgery for the correction of carpal tunnel syndrome, to high-precision microsurgery for intricate repairs of nerves, blood vessels and tendons found in complex hand injuries. Skin, bone and nerve grafts, as well as the transfer of healthy donor tissue from other parts of the body are used effectively to correct damaged or missing parts of the hand to achieve optimal function and cosmetic restoration.  

Hand surgery can be a life-changing choice for those suffering with arthritis, carpel tunnel syndrome, de Quervain tenosynovitis, trigger finger, and for people who have had a traumatic hand injury. The best way to know if hand surgery is right for you is to sit down with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons reconstruction specialist for a personal consultation. It’s your opportunity to discuss your condition, your desired results, procedure options and details, and any concerns or questions you may have.  

The first step is to schedule an appointment. An initial consultation with your Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons expert will not obligate you to move forward with any procedure.