Children’s plastic and reconstructive surgery

When your child needs plastic and reconstructive surgery, you need a special team on your side. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's plastic and reconstructive surgery specialists offer world-class, child-focused care for wide-ranging conditions. These include disfiguring injuries or diseases and facial and body abnormalities, from head to toe. Our surgeons partner with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to correct cleft lip and palate; ear, hand or breast deformities; and other conditions. Reconstructive surgeons step in to help after accidental trauma, tumor removal and cancer. We care for children of all ages, with sensitivity to their special needs.

Why choose Ohio State and Nationwide Children’s for pediatric plastic surgery

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital are nationally recognized for leading-edge care. Our teams share high-level expertise across specialties, including microsurgery. All are specifically trained in evaluating and treating children, from infancy through adolescence and young adulthood.

The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center's plastic and reconstructive surgeons perform pediatric surgeries at Nationwide Children’s Hospital — a nationally ranked pediatric acute care hospital. The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center team offers multispecialty services, including cancer reconstructive surgery. Our surgeons are part of the OSUCCC – James, an internationally recognized, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center.

Complete care for the unique and changing needs of children

Medically and in other ways, kids aren’t just small adults. Inside and out, their bodies and care needs are different. From smaller airways to tender bones and varying developmental stages, every child is unique and continually changing. Our board certified specialists understand the care requirements of kids at any age. We tailor everything to children, from pediatric operating instruments and medical equipment to modern facilities and cheerful, family-friendly surroundings. Your child receives sophisticated care from collaborative teams who calm nerves and guide kids at every turn.

Exceptional microsurgery capabilities for pediatric plastic surgery

The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s are among just a few plastic surgery programs around the world with advanced fellowship training and expertise in microsurgery and super-microsurgery. Our surgeons see and treat what’s invisible to the naked eye. We operate on the tiniest infants and the most microscopic nerve and vascular tissues.

Plastic and reconstructive microsurgery teams treat nerve, muscle and circulation damage; numbness or loss of movement and function; and other conditions. Surgeons reconstruct all or part of the face, skull, limbs or other parts of the body with pinpoint precision. Our surgeons reconnect blood vessels, nerves and other tissues to restore normal function, warmth and circulation. In some instances, this can help prevent the need to amputate a maimed or diseased limb that has lost lifegiving blood supply.

Early evaluation of potential nerve injuries may prevent irreversible damage

If your child suffers a bad fall or other accidental injury, our pediatric plastic and reconstructive microsurgeons offer follow-up consultation. This can help prevent permanent nerve damage, including a risk of paralysis. There is just a short window of time during which certain nerve injuries are treatable. When you seek treatment, ask your child’s doctor about further consultation. This gives your child the best chance to benefit from certain effective, but time-sensitive, therapies.

Pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery conditions we treat

Our teams offer plastic and reconstructive surgery for a full range of familiar as well as unusual or challenging conditions, including:

• Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) and other pediatric nerve and spinal conditions
• Brachial plexus injuries (hand, arm, elbow and spinal cord)
• Burns and accidental traumatic injuries
• Congenital conditions – including cleft lip and palate, ear deformities, breast deformities, clubfoot and others
• Face, head and skull abnormalities
• Hemangiomas (noncancerous blood vessel growths) and vascular malformation (abnormal arteries, veins and capillaries)
• Rehabilitation services with individualized inpatient and outpatient services for children
• Removal of birthmarks, cysts, scars, tumors and moles

Multispecialty clinics and services

• Cancer reconstructive surgery for children – Ranging from reconstructive procedures after craniofacial head, neck and skull trauma to the loss of a nose, arm, leg or other part of the body after cancer and complications, such as chemo-related neuropathy
• Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders – Offering maxillofacial (face, mouth, teeth, jaw) surgery and facial reanimation surgery to restore movement after facial trauma, tumor removal or other conditions
• Hand and upper extremity reconstructive surgery – Care for congenital conditions and other finger, hand and arm deformities or injuries, including certified hand therapy and other custom rehabilitation
• Pediatric trauma program – Including fast evaluation and treatment at Nationwide Children’s – a nationally recognized Level 1 pediatric trauma center providing reconstructive surgery, advanced wound and burn care, and rehabilitation
• Peripheral Nerve Care Center – Treating the nerves that connect a child’s brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body, including peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain) related to trauma, medical conditions or treatments such as chemotherapy

Pediatric lymphedema care, including novel surgical options

Lymphedema (fluid buildup and swelling) occurs in legs, arms or other areas. Some infants are born with inherited lymphedema. Others develop it later in childhood. Cancer and other conditions can cause lymphedema, although doctors don’t always know the cause. During cancer treatment, surgeons may remove diseased lymph nodes, which circulate fluids, increasing the child’s risk of lymphedema.

The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center's comprehensive lymphedema care includes innovative surgical options at our nationally designated Lymphedema Center of Excellence. It is one of the few Lymphatic Education & Research Network-certified centers of its kind worldwide.

Nonsurgical skin treatments and services for children

Your child’s doctors may recommend nonsurgical options as part of a custom care plan. The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center's plastic surgery team offers many skin rejuvenation and medspa skin care choices.

Learn more about these and other treatments through the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Research to advance pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery and care

Plastic and reconstructive surgery teams at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s play an active role in clinical and scientific research. Our doctors are involved in studying diseases, treatments and outcomes within these and other areas of focus:

• Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) and nervous system conditions
• Amputated limb conditions, treatments and outcomes
• Brief electrostimulation (BES) for nerve conditions including ulnar neuropathy, an elbow nerve disorder
• Craniofacial defects (genetic and other disorders of the face, head and skull)
• Hand and upper extremity conditions
• Nerve transfer and nerve rejuvenation
• Tissue transplantation

A-list leaders in pediatric plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery

The pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery team at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s includes some of the nation’s most talented, highly trained surgeon scientists. In addition to their passion and compassion when it comes to caring for kids, they bring vision, dedication and pioneering innovation to every role.