Plastic Surgeon Reconstructs Child’s Lip
11-year old Jacklyn Tucker was attacked by a male cross Jack Russell terrier-and-English bulldog while visiting a friend in Royal Palm Beach, in June this year. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue helicopter rushed Jacklyn to St. Mary’s Medical Centre for emergency treatment.
Jacklyn’s injury exposed her teeth and gums as the tissue from her left nostril to her top lip was severed. At St Mary’s Medical Centre, Dr David Rankin performed emergency reconstructive surgery to restore Jacklyn’s lip. Fortunately, Jacklyn’s father managed to find a piece of her lip, giving it to the emergency surgeon. However, during surgery difficulties were experienced in restoring the blood supply when trying to reconnect the tissue between Jacklyn’s nose and lip. The nose-to-lip tissue reconstruction was at risk if the blood vessels failed to circulate properly.
Jacklyn was transported to Hollywood-based Joe DiMaggio’s Children Hospital on 2 July 12 for abbe flap plastic surgery to restore Jacklyn’s lip with healthy blood supply. Abbe flap surgery is commonly used in treating patients with cleft lip. Dr Drew Schnitt performed the procedure using tissue with healthy blood vessels from Jacklyn’s lower lip to reconstruct her upper lip. The lips were then sewn up and the healing process will take approximately three weeks before another procedure may need to be performed.
While recovering at the Joe DiMaggio’s Children Hospital, Jacklyn is still unable to pronounce words but contently writes to friends. During a news conference held at the Joe DiMaggio’s Family Resource Centre, Dr Schnitt said that the injury was one of the worst they, as surgeons, had seen. Plastic surgeons at the hospital discussed the procedure used and created illustrations of Jacklyn’s surgery. Dr Schnitt expressed confidence in the success of the surgery for recovery and minimal scarring.
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