While most of us think of plastic surgery as elective, there are many situations where it is required for reconstructive purposes. The plastic surgeons at Wake Forest Baptist Health are board certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and three are licensed specialists in hand surgery. Drs. Lisa David and Chris Runyan are both fellowship-trained to perform pediatric and craniofacial plastic surgery procedures. (Figure 1)
“A common misconception regarding plastic surgeons is that all we do is aesthetic surgery,” said Dr. Lisa David. “Plastic surgeons offer the full spectrum of reconstruction and aesthetic surgery services, including breast reconstruction, breast reduction, post trauma reconstruction, hand surgery, burn reconstruction, pediatric plastic surgery for congenital anomalies, as well as cosmetic surgery procedures such as facelift, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, neck lift, mastopexy, breast augmentation, liposuction and abdominoplasty.”
Helping pediatric patients is very important to the physicians at Wake Forest Baptist Health, and they take pride in the care they provide to each patient. “We offer a full range of reconstructive approaches for craniofacial and hand anomalies,” said Dr. Chris Runyan. “This includes treatment for facial differences such as cleft lip and palate, complex facial clefting, facial paralysis, absent or deformed ears, as well as problems involving the skull and jaws, including craniosynostosis, encephaloceles, tumors affecting the skull and all aspects of orthognathic (jaw repositioning) surgery. We also treat vascular malformations and traumatic injuries throughout the body. We implement the latest technologies in treatment of pediatric conditions, including computer-aided design and 3D printing/modeling, minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted techniques, tissue expansion, distraction osteogenesis and nasoalveolar molding.” (Figures 2-3)
It is immensely important to choose the right physician when looking into pediatric procedures as the proper training is crucial for the desired result and comfort of the patient. “The technologies and surgical approaches used for these pediatric conditions are only fully available to those with specialized training,” said Dr. Runyan. “They are also only available in larger academic medical centers, where a team dedicated to comprehensive care of pediatric and craniofacial conditions is present. The presence of pediatric anesthesiologists, and specialists including orthodontists, dentists, otolaryngologists, neurosurgeons and pediatric intensivists, together will maximize safety and efficiency in your child’s care. Cosmetic surgery seeks to help patients achieve an ideal aesthetic form. When performing reconstructive surgery for children with facial differences or traumatic injuries, we not only seek to restore function, but also rely on our experience in aesthetic surgery to restore proper anatomic form as much as possible.”
Wake Forest Baptist Health’s name is synonymous with expertise, and those who have utilized the knowledge held by its physicians and staff know all too well how important that knowledge is throughout the entire experience. “For the past 25 years, our department has led the southeastern United States in treatment of complex pediatric and craniofacial conditions,” said Dr. David. “For our team at Wake Forest, the care of the children in our region continues to be our passion. We are happy to talk with families about any concerns regarding scars, trauma and congenital anomalies just for peace of mind, even if they never need surgery.”
For more information, visit the website at wakehealth.edu, or call 336.716.4171.
