Their newborn daughter, Emily, was rushed to the pediatric ICU, where she was intubated and placed on a respirator. Despite the confusion, it was painfully obvious that Emily had severe facial deformities. She was diagnosed as having Goldenhar's Syndrome, which in her case included cleft lip and palate, a severely underdeveloped lower jawbone, and incomplete eyelids. Although Emily was spared the cardiac and renal abnormalities often associated with this syndrome, she required a tracheostomy to ensure adequate breathing. Any significant abnormality at birth can be heartbreaking, but facial deformities are particularly devastating.
Facial defects can range from quite simple to complex.
Major bone structures of the face may be underdeveloped, malformed, or totally absent, often requiring multiple surgeries and bone grafting. In 1989, Dr. Joseph G. McCarthy , Director of the Institute for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at NYU, pioneered a technique known as distraction osteogenesis, which has revolutionized the care of children and adults with facial deformities. The technique stretches and lengthens the bone over time by gradually inducing bone growth to repair defects - in essence, coaxing the body to repair itself. In mandibular distraction, lengthening of the lower jawbone, the procedure also helps to expand the soft tissues of the face, further improving facial symmetry. This technique often spares a young child the discomfort and risk of a major bone grafting operation.