Reconstructive surgery is a life-changing thing for anyone, especially a young child. Consider a recent article for the Detroit Free Press titled “Russian boy’s recovery involves mother’s love, Royal Oak doctors.”
Katrease Stafford of the Detroit Free Press writes, “Denis Chubanyuk’s face lit up as he peeked around his mother, wiggled his fingers and waved at a pediatric surgeon as they sat in an examination room at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. For any other 5-year-old, waving or wiggling a finger would be unremarkable. But for Denis, it was an extraordinary piece of a dramatic journey and transformation he’s undergone since he began treatment for a rare condition nearly four years ago at Beaumont Children’s Hospital. In spring 2012, Denis, along with his mother Elena Chubanyuk, took a leap of faith and traveled more than 4,800 miles from Russia to Royal Oak seeking care for his complex craniofacial condition, Apert Syndrome. The congenital disorder caused his skull plates to fuse too early, while his brain was still growing rapidly. The condition causes severe distortions of the head and face, as well as webbing of the hands and feet. ‘I just want to give a heartfelt thank you to the staff,’ Elena Chubanyuk said via a translator, while placing her hand over her heart during her son’s exam at Beaumont last month. ‘Because of the doctors, he looks normal and he has a real chance now.’ Dr. Kongkrit Chaiyasate — a plastic surgeon who specializes in reconstruction microsurgery and craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery — said Denis faced an uncertain future. Increased intracranial pressure due to the brain not having room in the skull and upper airway problems, could have potentially caused life-threatening complications for Denis. But now, he has a fighting chance at living a life comparable to other children his age. ‘The surgery saved his life,’ Chaiyasate said. ‘We always treat our patients like our own child, so I’m always grateful to see what I did to him actually transformed him to being closer to his peers. I feel good about it.’”
If you are considering reconstructive surgery, you need a surgeon you can trust. Rex E. Moulton-Barrett, M.D. is internationally known and acknowledged. He is board certified with The American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and The American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Dr. Moulton-Barrett offers a variety of burn reconstruction surgery options. These options include skin grafts, microsurgery, free flap procedures, and tissue expansion.
For more information, contact us for a consultation.