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While facial surgery is often associated with achieving beauty goals with treatments like blepharoplasty and rhinoplasty, it has also been used as a method of providing aid to citizens of countries struggling from war or natural disaster. This goal may involve a very specific type of treatment known as facial reconstruction.
Facial reconstruction is a subset of facial plastic surgery which involves reshaping areas of head and neck for cosmetic or functional purposes. It can utilize tissue and bone from other parts of the body as well as prosthetics to supplement missing or damaged areas.
Microvascular reconstruction is a specific type of reconstructive surgery that relies on tissue and blood vessels from adjacent areas to restore blood flow to injured tissue.
Reconstructive surgery is essential for patients who have experienced significant facial damage due to injuries, cancer removal, or birth defects like cleft lip or cleft palate. Pediatric patients, in particular, often benefit greatly from these procedures.
Facial reconstructive surgeons often extend their expertise beyond domestic borders, participating in humanitarian missions to assist people in impoverished or war-affected regions.
Dr. Joshua Kain, a specialist in head and neck cancer and facial reconstructive surgery at CEENTA’s SouthPark and Rock Hill locations, has participated in such efforts in Ukraine during 2023 and 2024. He performed reconstructive surgeries on soldiers and civilians affected by the ongoing conflict, rebuilding lost or damaged facial structures caused by bombs, bullets, and blast injuries.
One remarkable example from 2023 was a collaborative effort by Dr. Kain and two other American facial plastic surgeons to restore nerve function through facial reanimation surgery. They treated a 24-year-old soldier whose face was paralyzed due to missile shrapnel injuries.
For Dr. Kain, this work is deeply fulfilling. He explains, “It brings hope to people who have lost their very facial appearance—the central aspect of what makes them human. It gives them the confidence to interact with their wives, children, and loved ones again after devastating loss.” The techniques used internationally mirror those applied in the U.S. for cancer reconstruction, restoring both form and function for victims of the war in Ukraine.
For patients seeking to regain their appearance and functionality after accidents or traumatic events, facial reconstruction can be life-changing.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Kain, call 704-295-3000.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. New patients can make appointment online with our ENT doctors in North and South Carolina. Current patients can also make appointments through myCEENTAchart with physicians they have already seen.
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