MDNews - Cleveland-Akron-Canton

photoS CourteSy oF CryStaL pLaStiC SurgeoNS, akroN a 38-year-old female presented with enlarging tumor in her mid-scalp. biopsy proved to be dermatofibrosarcoma invading bone. She had wide excision, including the outer table of the skull and coverage with a free latissimus muscle and skin graft. microvascular repair was done to the neck vessels. She eventually underwent a series of balloon expansions of the surrounding tissues to advance and cover the surgical site. She is 10-years post-op with no recurrence and a full head of hair. in to rebuild the soft tissue ��� skin, muscles and blood vessels ��� to restore circulation,��� says Dr. Cervino. ���This requires taking a microvascular flap of skin or muscle from another part of the body, moving it to the hand or arm or leg and reattaching the blood vessels.��� In addition to traumatic hand and limb injuries, both doctors perform reconstruction for more common problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren���s Disease. ���Dupuytren���s is a very common disease that involves a thickening of the palm which eventually contracts or pulls the fingers down,��� Dr. Pennington explains. ���Surgery used to be the treatment of choice, but three or four years ago an enzyme called Xiaflex was discovered which, when injected under the skin, breaks up the scar tissue so the fingers can be extended again. We offer those injections.��� An increasing part of the practice is mandibular reconstruction. Pre-operative computer modeling is done to create a three-dimensional prototype that is subsequently used as a guide for the fibula. This bone is then transferred with microvascular techniques. Drs. Cervino and Pennington also frequently deal with the removal of cancer, including skin cancers, melanomas, head and neck malignancies, and reconstruction afterwards. Together, they see more than 300 new melanoma patients per year. Deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap procedure for breast reconstruction after mastectomy is one of the procedures they perform. DIEP involves transferring the patient���s skin and fat from the abdomen, with the blood vessels attached, to the chest. Unlike the transverse rectus abdominus muscle (TRAM) flap procedure, no muscle is transferred. Drs. Pennington and Cervino also do skin expander reconstruction for the breast to reconstruct the breast with an implant. ���Microsurgery of the scalp to remove large tumors is another procedure we do,��� says Dr. Pennington. ���Some of these tumors involve the entire head and neck region, which requires removal of the hair with a flap harvested from another area of the body that we microsurgically connect to the blood vessels in the neck.��� Body contouring for bariatric surgery patients who have lost a significant amount of weight is a common procedure for Crystal Plastic Surgeons, as well. ���Gastric bypass patients who have lost more than 100 pounds have a lot of excess skin that needs to be removed ��� for functional as well as cosmetic purposes,��� Dr. Cervino explains. ���The same is true for forehead lifts...a lot of it is functional. Peripheral vision can be lost due to sagging skin of the forehead or upper eyelids.��� cosmetic procedures Drs. Cervino and Pennington perform an increasing amount of cosmetic surgery. This includes breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, eyelid and nasal surgery, face and brow lifts, chin augmentation and fat injections for facial volume replacement. A surgical nurse, with added certification as an aesthetician from the Ohio State Board of Cosmetology, performs non-surgical procedures for skin care, complexion enhancement and hair removal. Most surgeries are performed in Crystal Plastic Surgeons��� Akron office where Drs. Cervino and Pennington have their own state-of-the-art surgical suite. Eight operating rooms are available in the same building. Anesthesia is provided by boardcertified anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists. ���Most of the surgeries we do are sameday outpatient surgeries, so having ORs on site offers our patients more privacy,��� says Dr. Pennington. Patients come from all over Ohio, and some from other states, according to Dr. Pennington. Many are referred by family and friends. ���Ninety percent of what we do does not save lives but can significantly improve the quality of life,��� says Dr. Cervino. Crystal Plastic Surgeons has offices in Akron, Barber ton, Medina and Hudson. For more information, visit www.cr ystalplasticsurgeons.com or call (330) 668-4065. ��� MarcH -april 2013 ��� MDneWS.coM ��� MD News Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 23

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