Program Description & Goals

The fellowship is designed to prepare trainees to care for patients across the broad spectrum of pediatric reconstructive surgery. Trainees will be exposed to clinical management and operative techniques in general pediatric plastic surgery as well as to those related to the interdisciplinary centers within the Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The fellow will also function as a mentor to the Mayo Plastic Surgery Residents and medical students during their rotations at Phoenix Children's.

Clinical Goals & Objectives:

• To experience a broad education in the art and science of pediatric plastic surgery and craniofacial surgery.
• To experience progressive surgical responsibility in the essential phases of patient care: preoperative evaluation, therapeutic decision making, operative experience, and postoperative management.
• Participate in the diagnosis, planning, operative treatment, and postoperative care of craniofacial diagnoses including: craniosynostosis, midface hypoplasia, facial symmetries, Treacher Collins syndrome, Craniofacial Microsomia, Pierre Robin sequence, congenital and traumatic orbital dysmorphologies, craniofacial clefting and orbital hypertelorism, atrophic and hypertrophic disorders such as Romberg's disease and hemifacial hypertrophy, craniofacial bony neoplasms such as fibrous dysplasia and osteomas, neurofibromatosis, vascular anomalies, post traumatic craniofacial deformities, and craniofacial exposures in cranial base surgery.
• Participate in a multidisciplinary integrated craniofacial team.
• Gain experience in the surgical correction of congenital clefts of the lip and palate both primary and secondary repairs and revisions.
• Gain experience with the evaluation and treatment of pediatric plastic surgery diagnoses such as: congenital hand including brachial plexus reconstruction, traumatic deformities, giant congenital nevi, vascular anomalies.
• Gain experience in reconstructive management of defects after ablative surgery for malignancy of the craniomaxillofacial region.

Didactic Goals & Objectives

• Demonstrate knowledge of normal and abnormal embryology and fetal development of the head and neck.
• Demonstrate ability to interpret radiological studies including dental radiographs, cephalometric analysis, CT, and MRI imaging modalities.
• Demonstrate expertise in the construction of dental study models, orthognathic splints, and their use in craniofacial and maxillofacial surgery.
• Appreciate the standards of cephalometric normalcy as they relate to the face.
• Demonstrate an understanding of bone healing, including primary healing, malunion, nonunion, osteomyelitis, and the physiology and methods of bone grafting.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the use of alloplastic materials in craniofacial reconstruction.
• Demonstrate knowledge of congenital, developmental, and secondary deformities of the head and face.
• Demonstrate knowledge of congenital and traumatic deformities of the hand.