The Plastic Surgery Division at Texas Children's Hospital is among the top centers in the United States in the number of craniofacial procedures performed each year.

Plastic Surgery DIVISION
Craniofacial defects

Restoring form and function
Craniofacial abnormalities may alter children’s primary bonding relationships, possibly causing later emotional, behavioral and social problems. Research shows that the importance of face-to-face communication in early childhood calls for the early evaluation and repair of craniofacial problems.

Craniofacial surgery is the second most common procedure performed in the Plastic Surgery Division at Texas Children's Hospital.

Surgery of the skull
Many infants are born with skull deformities. Not fully revealed until after birth, these types of defects (craniosynostosis/plagiocephaly) can interfere with brain development. Occasionally, the suture lines of the skull may close prematurely and require corrective surgery. In other instances, the baby’s position in the womb can flatten a skull area. Fortunately, new procedures often can spare a child the discomfort and risk of surgery, formerly the only method of treatment.

To improve outcomes, the center’s specialists use advanced treatment procedures and leading-edge techniques, appliances and materials, such as resorbing plates and bone-mimicking adhesives, in areas where new bone will grow. In instances requiring extensive surgery, the department’s craniofacial team consults with the hospital’s neurosurgery team to plan each child’s surgical reconstruction.

Facial surgery
Form and function can be restored in children with facial bone, nerve and muscle disorders, whether congenital or caused by injury. Children’s facial defects can range from simple to complex, often involving facial bone structures that may be underdeveloped, malformed or totally absent.

Children suffering from facial nerve paralysis often require nerve repair, nerve transfer, muscle transfer and microsurgical nerve transplantation to allow them a fuller range of facial expressions and enhanced control.

Jaw surgery
Surgery of the jaw may be recommended when a child experiences a jaw injury or clearly shows signs of problems with facial development, which may be an isolated growth problem. Often requiring multiple operations and bone grafting, the corrective process usually involves moving one or both jaws to a more normal position. The patient may receive orthodontic treatment simultaneously, and the combined therapy is carefully coordinated with all other aspects of the patient’s care.

Distraction osteogenesis
Revolutionizing the field of craniofacial surgery, a groundbreaking technique called distraction osteogenesis is being used by the Texas Children’s plastic surgeons to reposition bones in the jaw, face and skull. The technique avoids the problems of swelling and blood loss in conventional surgery and does so without wires, bone harvesting or blood transfusions.