Message from the Chief
Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and Director of the Center for Facial Deformity
Pediatric plastic surgery is a specialty of plastic surgery not very well known by both the general public and the medical community. It is oftentimes misperceived or misunderstood. Most plastic surgeons who treat children have never received fellowship training in pediatric plastic surgery. Their surgical experience is limited to what they have done in their short of long career. All too often, results are mediocre to poor and bad surgical decisions are made. However, the parent of a child who received such type of care may never know that a better result may have been obtained by a fellowship trained pediatric plastic surgeon.
It takes many years to become a skillful pediatric plastic surgeon and take care of the multitude of birth defects such as Cleft Lip and Palate, Craniosynostosis, Hemangiomas, Vascular Malformation, Microtia, Jaw Deformities, Large Melanocytic Nevus, and Burns.
- The ability to assess and diagnose a particular problem such as a vascular malformation versus a hemangioma.
- To offer surgical or non-surgical options consistently and reliably.
- To provide proper guidance of when to proceed with an operation.
- Working with pediatricians and pediatric surgery specialists at a Children’s Hospital to provide coordinated care.
- Children born with congenital anomalies involving the face and skull may have other medical conditions, such as heart defects or pulmonary diseases, requiring close communication with pediatricians and pediatric specialists.
A pediatric plastic surgeon should understand the psychological and emotional implications for a child with facial deformity and his or her parents. I have established The Center for Facial Deformity and the Craniofacial Art Institute for all of these reasons.
Please feel free to come by and see the difference.
Dr. Tae Ho Kim