Congenital Deformities of the Face, Head, and Neck

Preface Preface Congenital Deformities of the Face, Head, and Neck Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH, FACS 1 1 Department of Otolaryngology, University of California, Davis, California Facial Plast Surg 2016;32:121–122. This issue is dedicated to the surgical reconstruction of facial deformities, which have occurred due to abnormalities of development. We revere the delicate balance of craniofacial development. The phenomena of organized fusion and com- munication between embryonal growth centers lead to a perfectly beautiful spectrum of facial structures. In this issue, leaders from several surgical specialties have brought forth the state of the science in the management of craniosynostosis and congenital nasal and eyelid deformities. The management strategies for children with cleft lip and palate are outlined in relation to treatment in the early years of speech development and secondary speech surgery. An evidence-based approach to vascular malformations of the head and neck is presented with rigorous inspection of the available supportive research for the treatment of these varied and difﬁcult facial deformities. In addition, the management options for newborns with tongue-based airway obstruction have expanded with broad application of the principles of distraction osteogenesis. The algorithm for treating these children is presented with de- tailed surgical technique and images. Microtia reconstruction is one of the most challenging and often humbling endeavors, due in part to the complex ear shape, unpredictable healing, and the need for staged procedures. The authors have pro- duced a synthesis of decades of experience in microtia repair, which is a testament to teamwork and streamlining an efﬁcient surgical paradigm. The area of facial nerve reanimation has grown signiﬁ- cantly for children with developmental or congenital facial paralysis. The evolution of the transplanted neuromuscular ﬂap for reanimating a paralyzed face is most commonly performed with the gracilis muscle. The authors’ current approach is detailed with at- tention to the techniques of the colleagues who popular- ized the procedures. As the ﬁeld of global sur- gery emerges, traveling surgi- Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH, FACS cal (missions) teams are transitioning from solely short-term humanitarian care de- livery to hybrid models, which incorporate host country health care professionals, academic–private partnerships, a broader view of education, and support. These novel models and the research in the burden of surgical disease are summarized. I hope you will enjoy reading this issue as much as I have. As Mark Twain suggests, these authors contribute to the surgical literature with recapitulation of work from others, while innovating with modern technologies. Address for correspondence Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH, FACS, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Davis, 2521 Stockton Blvd., Suite 7200, Sacramento, CA 95817 (e-mail: tttollefson@ucdavis. edu). Copyright © 2016 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel: +1(212) 584-4662. Issue Theme Congenital Deformities of the Face, Head, and Neck; Guest Editor, Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH, FACS We simply take a lot of old ideas & put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope… We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations… indeﬁnitely. —Mark Twain, a Biography 1 Reference 1 Paine AB. Mark Twain, a Biography. Vol III, Part 1: 1900–1907. ECHO LIB, 2006:103. ISBN: 1847029833 DOI http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1055/s-0036-1581139. ISSN 0736-6825.