Duke pediatric plastic surgeons are experts at treating complex facial deformities as well as the more common problems that are noted at birth or as a result of accident or injury.

Some examples of conditions commonly treated by our pediatric plastic surgery include ear abnormalities, nasal obstructions, cysts and masses, hand and skin abnormalities, and traumatic injury.

Ear Abnormalities

Our plastic surgeons treat a wide variety of ear malformations, including prominent ears and microtia.

Prominent Ears

For children with prominent ears, otoplasty is used to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of larger ears. Otoplasty is the most common cosmetic procedure among children.

Microtia

Microtia is a congenital condition in which the ear is not fully formed. This condition is typically treated with reconstructive surgery. Treatment is staged and generally begins after age seven.

Nasal Obstructions

Nasal obstructions can be caused by a number of problems, including a deviated septum.

These obstructions are often relieved through surgery, known as rhinoplasty, in addition to fixing cosmetic concerns. Surgery occurs predominantly in teenagers (15 and older).

Cysts and Masses

Plastic surgery is often used for pediatric patients who have cysts and masses on the face or skull. These abnormalities include dermoid cysts, pilomatricoma, and vascular birthmarks.

• Dermoid cyst are growths that appear at birth on the skull or facial bones. They often grow slowly over time and cause little pain.
• Pilomatricoma is a hard mass in the fat layer of skin that often appears on the face or arms.
• Vascular birthmarks and hemangiomas are often red or purple spots that appear on the skin and are caused by vein abnormalities.

Hand Abnormalities

Our pediatric plastic surgeons treat hand abnormalities caused by trauma as well as congenital abnormalities.

Specific congenital conditions that we treat include syndactyly, or fused fingers, as well as duplicated thumbs.

Skin Abnormalities

Plastic surgery is often needed to remove moles (nevi) that can sometimes be quite large, occupying a significant percentage of the body surface. Treatments vary widely according to the size and location of the lesion(s).

We also perform surgery for alopecia and cutis aplasia which are bald spots that are related to problems with scalp development.

Traumatic Injuries

Our pediatric plastic surgeons offer compassionate care for patients with traumatic injuries including lacerations, dogbites, facial or nasal injuries, and problematic wounds.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Marcus, Jeffrey R.
  • Surgery / Plastic Max & Oral Surgery
  • Pediatrics / Pediatrics-Chairman Office

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Aesthetic Center
  3475 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705
• Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710