Plastic Surgery or Facial Plastic Surgery: Can the Public Tell the Difference?

Background: Social media and online advertising are increasingly used by plastic surgeons (PSs) to educate patients and obtain referrals, but it remains unclear whether the general public can distinguish the difference in training and accreditation among medical professionals advertising online. Our study elucidates the public's expectations regarding the distinction between plastic surgery and facial plastic surgery. Methods: A survey was distributed via MTurk, an Amazon surveying service, to collect information about demographics and assumptions that would be made solely based on the terminology "facial PS" (FPS) and "PS." Participants were restricted to those residing in the United States. Results: A total of 253 responses were collected. Based on the term FPS, respondents on average moderately to strongly agreed that they would expect an FPS to have completed a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program (mean = 1.81; scale from 1= strongly agree to 5= strongly disagree) and would feel moderately to strongly misled if they visited an FPS for a consultation and later learned that the provider did not complete a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency (mean = 3.62; scale from 1 = not misled at all to 5 = extremely misled). Conclusions: Despite increasing advocacy by professional societies and the member societies of the American Board of Medical Specialties, this study demonstrated that the lay public is unaware of factually different training and certification pathways given similarity in nomenclature. This study was notably not designed to draw conclusions or imply superiority of one specialty, certifying board, or training model over the other.

Cleft Summit 2022: The Impact of a Unified Voice.

OBJECTIVE: The inaugural Cleft Summit aimed to unite experts and foster interdisciplinary collaboration, seeking a collective understanding of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) management. DESIGN: An interactive debate and conversation between a multidisciplinary cleft care team on VPI management. SETTING: A two-hour discussion within a four-day comprehensive cleft care workshop (CCCW). PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two global leaders from various cleft disciplines. INTERVENTIONS: Cleft Summit that allows for meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ability to reach consensus on a unified statement for VPI management. RESULTS: Participants agreed that a patient with significant VPI and a dynamic velum should first receive a surgery that lengthens the velum to optimize patient outcome. A global, multicenter prospective study should be done to test this hypothesis. CONCLUSION: The 1st Cleft Summit successfully distilled global expertise into actionable best-practice guidelines through iterative discussions, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and paving the way for a transformative multi-center prospective study on VPI care.

Results of a Pilot Virtual Microsurgery Course for Plastic Surgeons in LMICs.

Background: The Plastic Surgery Foundation's Surgeons in Humanitarian Alliance for Reconstruction, Research and Education (SHARE) program seeks to expand surgical capacity worldwide through mentorship and training for local plastic surgeons. This study aims to define the need for microsurgery training among SHARE global fellows and describe results of a pilot course. Methods: Ten participants of the SHARE Virtual Microsurgical Skills Course were asked to complete an anonymous survey. Pre- and post-course response rates were 100% and 50.0%, respectively. Results: There was a high incidence of microsurgical problems encountered in the clinical setting. Resource availability was varied, with high access to loupes (100%), yet limited access to microsurgery instruments (50%), medications (40%), operating microscope (20%), skilled nursing (0%) and appropriate peri-operative care settings (0%). Participants identified vessel preparation, instrument selection, and suture handling as priority learning objectives for a microsurgery skills course. Post-course satisfaction with learning objectives was high (60% "very good," 40% "excellent"). Participants reported high levels of improvement in suture handling (Likert 4.60±0.55), end-to-end anastomosis (4.40±0.55), instrument selection (4.20±0.45), vessel preparation (4.20±0.45), and economy of motion (4.20±0.45). Conclusions: This study demonstrates a high frequency of reconstructive problems encountered by global fellows yet low access to appropriate resources to perform microsurgical procedures. Initial results from a pilot virtual microsurgery course demonstrate very high satisfaction and high self-rated improvement in key microsurgical skills. The virtual course is an effective and accessible format for training surgeons in basic microsurgery skills and can be augmented by providing longitudinal opportunities for remote feedback.

Validation of ChatGPT 3.5 as a Tool to Optimize Readability of Patient-facing Craniofacial Education Materials.

Background: To address patient health literacy, the American Medical Association recommends that readability of patient education materials should not exceed a sixth grade reading level; the National Institutes of Health recommend no greater than an eigth-grade reading level. However, patient-facing materials in plastic surgery often remain at an above-recommended average reading level. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ChatGPT 3.5 as a tool for optimizing patient-facing craniofacial education materials. Methods: Eighteen patient-facing craniofacial education materials were evaluated for readability by a traditional calculator and ChatGPT 3.5. The resulting scores were compared. The original excerpts were then inputted to ChatGPT 3.5 and simplified by the artificial intelligence tool. The simplified excerpts were scored by the calculators. Results: The difference in scores for the original excerpts between the online calculator and ChatGPT 3.5 were not significant (P = 0.441). Additionally, the simplified excerpts' scores were significantly lower than the originals (P < 0.001), and the mean of the simplified excerpts was 7.78, less than the maximum recommended 8. Conclusions: The use of ChatGPT 3.5 for simplification and readability analysis of patient-facing craniofacial materials is efficient and may help facilitate the conveyance of important health information. ChatGPT 3.5 rendered readability scores comparable to traditional readability calculators, in addition to excerpt-specific feedback. It was also able to simplify materials to the recommended grade levels. With human oversight, we validate this tool for readability analysis and simplification.

Vascularized Fibular Epiphyseal Transfer for Pediatric Limb Salvage: Review of Applications and Outcomes.

Vascularized fibular epiphyseal transfer (VFET) offers a functional advantage in pediatric limb salvage due to the preservation of growth potential and an articular surface for remodeling. This review summarizes the available evidence on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric reconstruction applying VFET at different recipient sites and with varying techniques. VFET was used to reconstruct the proximal humerus, distal radius or ulna, proximal femur, distal fibula, calcaneus, and mandible. Although most often harvested on the anterior tibial artery, VFET has also been performed using the peroneal artery, the inferior lateral genicular artery, and a dual pedicle. Recipient site flap inset most often involved fixation with plates and/or screws as well as soft tissue reconstruction using a retained slip of biceps femoris tendon. Outcomes included limb growth, range of motion, and strength. The most common reported complications were bone flap fracture and peroneal nerve palsy. The anterior tibial artery was the most applied pedicle with reliable limb growth, but with the added risk of postoperative peroneal palsy. Bone flap fracture most often occurred at the proximal humerus and femur recipient sites. Plate fixation and the combined use of allograft had lower instances of bone flap fracture. This review highlights how the anticipated dynamic growth and remodeling this free flap offers in the long term must be weighed against its complexity and potential complications.

Ergonomics for Cleft Providers: A Brief Communication.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries are the most common and debilitating work-related injuries among healthcare providers. These injuries often occur due to a lack of awareness and insufficient guidance during the early years of medical training. Recognizing the need to address this issue, the Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop (CCCW) has taken steps to integrate an ergonomics session into its curriculum. The goal of this initiative is to enhance awareness on ergonomics, improve the integration of ergonomics into daily routine, and ultimately reduce the occurrence of MSK injuries among healthcare professionals.

Effective Local Anesthetic Use in Nasal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies.

Intraoperative nerve blocks have shown promise in managing pain after nasal surgery. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze existing level I and II evidence on intraoperative nerve blocks in nasal surgery to optimize postoperative recovery. Methods: The primary outcome of this systematic review and meta-analysis was postoperative pain scores; secondary outcomes included perioperative opioid requirements, patient satisfaction scores, and time to first analgesic requirement. PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases were searched, and two independent reviewers conducted article screening. Methodological quality assessment of studies utilized the Jadad instrument, and interrater reliability was assessed using Cohen kappa. An inverse-variance, fixed-effects model was used for meta-analysis with Cohen d used to normalize effect size between studies. I2 and Q statistics were used to assess interstudy variability. Results: Four studies were included for meta-analysis, totaling 265 randomized patients. The nerve blocks assessed included infraorbital nerve, sphenopalatine ganglion, external nasal nerve, central facial nerve blocks, and total nerve blocks. All demonstrated significantly reduced postoperative pain compared with controls, with a large effect size (P < 0.001). Opioid requirements were lower in the nerve block groups (P < 0.001), and patient satisfaction scores were higher (P < 0.001). Supplemental meta-analyses showed a longer time to first analgesic requirement for patients who received a nerve block (P < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings support the efficacy of nerve blocks in providing postoperative pain relief and enhancing patient satisfaction with pain management. Perioperative nerve blocks, in combination with general anesthesia, should be considered for postoperative pain control.

Surgical outcome and treatment trends in 1289 infants with micrognathia: a multicenter cohort.

BACKGROUND: Studies of infants with micrognathia, especially Robin Sequence (RS), are limited by its rarity and both phenotypic and diagnostic variability. Most knowledge of this condition is sourced from small, single-institution samples. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study including infants with micrognathia admitted to 38 Children's Hospital Neonatal Consortium centers from 2010-2020. Predictor variables included demographic data, birth characteristics, cleft and syndrome status. Outcome variables included length of stay (LOS), death, feeding or respiratory support, and secondary airway operations. RESULTS: 1289 infants with micrognathia had a surgery to correct upper airway obstruction. Mean age and weight at operation were 34.8±1.8 weeks and 3515.4±42 grams, respectively. A syndromic diagnosis was made in 150 (11.6%) patients, with Stickler (5.4%) and Treacher Collins Syndromes (2.2%) most common. Operations included: mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO), 66.3%; tracheostomy, 25.4%; and tongue-lip adhesion (TLA), 8.3%. Tracheostomy patients had a lower birth weight, head circumference, gestational age, and APGAR scores. MDO patients were less likely to need a second airway operation compared to TLA patients (3.5%vs17.8%,p<0.001). The proportion of infants feeding exclusively orally at hospital discharge differed significantly, from most to least: MDO, TLA, tracheostomy. Hospital LOS was not statistically different for patients that had MDO and TLA, but was longer for those with primary tracheostomy. Mortality was low for all operations (0.5%). CONCLUSION: In this 1289 surgical patient cohort, MDO was associated with shorter hospital stay, improved oral feeding, and lower rates of secondary airway operations. Prospective multi-center studies are necessary to support these conclusions.

Enhanced Recovery After Cleft Lip Repair: Protocol Development and Implementation in Outreach Settings.

INTRODUCTION: Clefts of the lip are of the most common congenital craniofacial anomalies. The development and implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol among patients undergoing cleft lip repair may decrease postoperative complications, accelerate recovery, and result in earlier postoperative discharge. METHODS: A modified ERAS program was developed and applied through Global Smile Foundation outreach craniofacial programs. The main components of this protocol include: (1) preoperative patient education, (2) nutrition screening, (3) smoking cessation when applicable, (4) use of topical anesthetic adjuncts, (5) facial nerve blocks, (6) postoperative analgesia, (7) preferential use of short-acting narcotics, (8) antibiotic administration, (9) use of elbow restraints, (10) early postoperative oral feeding and hydration, and (11) discharge planning. RESULTS: Between April 2019 and March 2020, GSF operated on 126 patients with cleft lip from different age groups and 58.8% of them were less than 1 year of age. Three patients (2.4%) had delayed wound healing and one (0.8%) had postoperative bleeding. There were no cases of mortality, length of hospital stay did not exceed 1 postoperative day, and patients were able to tolerate fluids intake at discharge. CONCLUSION: The implementation of an ERAS protocol among patients undergoing cleft lip repair has shown to be highly effective in minimizing postoperative discomfort while reducing opioids use, decreasing the length of stay in hospital, and leading to early oral feeding resumption. The ERAS principles described carry increased relevance in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and opioid crisis and can be safely applied in resource-constrained settings.

Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence to Teach Cleft Lip Surgery.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) leverages today's exceptional computational powers and algorithmic abilities to learn from large data sets and solve complex problems. The aim of this study was to construct an AI model that can intelligently and reliably recognize the anatomy of cleft lip and nasal deformity and automate placement of nasolabial markings that can guide surgical design. Methods: We adopted the high-resolution net architecture, a recent family of convolutional neural networks-based deep learning architecture specialized in computer-vision tasks to train an AI model, which can detect and place the 21 cleft anthropometric points on cleft lip photographs and videos. The model was tested by calculating the Euclidean distance between hand-marked anthropometric points placed by an expert cleft surgeon to ones generated by our cleft AI model. A normalized mean error (NME) was calculated for each point. Results: All NME values were between 0.029 and 0.055. The largest NME was for cleft-side cphi. The smallest NME value was for cleft-side alare. These errors were well within standard AI benchmarks. Conclusions: We successfully developed an AI algorithm that can identify the 21 surgically important anatomic landmarks of the unilateral cleft lip. This model can be used alone or integrated with surface projection to guide various cleft lip/nose repairs. Having demonstrated the feasibility of creating such a model on the complex three-dimensional surface of the lip and nose, it is easy to envision expanding the use of AI models to understand all of human surface anatomy-the full territory and playground of plastic surgeons.

Normal Neonatal Sleep Defined: Refining Patient Selection and Interpreting Sleep Outcomes for Mandibular Distraction.

BACKGROUND: Although polysomnography is paramount when evaluating neonatal airway obstruction, "normal" published references do not exist. We present normative polysomnography data for newborns age 0-1 month. We compare this reference to pre and postoperative sleep data from infants undergoing mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) at this same age. METHODS: Following IRB approval, normative subjects were recruited from our neonatal intensive care unit to undergo nap polysomnography. One blinded sleep physician read all studies. From 2016 to 2019, we prospectively collected sleep data for newborns undergoing MDO. RESULTS: In total, 22 neonates without airway obstruction provided normative sleep data. Median total apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI), and central apnea index (CAI) were 7.3, 4.9, and 0.7 events/hour. Median O2 nadir was 91%. Polysomnography for 13 neonates before MDO and during consolidation showed median preoperative AHI was 38.3, OAHI was 37.0, CAI was 1.9, and median O2 nadir was 83%. Following MDO, median AHI was 6.1, OAHI was 4.0, CAI was 1.3, and median O2 nadir was 92.5%. Paired t-tests confirmed significant improvements in all indices; when comparing the postoperative group with the normative group, there was no difference in oxygenation nor any respiratory index. CONCLUSIONS: "Normal" neonates have more obstructive events and lower oxygenation nadirs than previously appreciated. We provide normative nap polysomnography values for this age group and encourage centers with multidisciplinary MDO teams to utilize this data to calibrate patient selection algorithms, inform treatment discussions, and better understand surgical outcomes. Limitations include a small sample size and single institution study.

Emergency Response Protocols for Overseas Outreach Settings: Global Smile Foundation Strategy.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) aim to alleviate unmet global disease burden and promote collaboration between visiting and host countries. Well-executed emergency response protocols are foundational to providing safe and quality care in an unpredictable global setting. Global Smile Foundation (GSF) instituted a protocol in 2012 based on over three decades of cleft care experience. Here, we update this protocol and provide information on how to address special circumstances such as humanitarian crises and disease outbreaks. The GSF response protocol was developed in conjunction with surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and administrators to ensure all team members are adequately prepared to respond to emergency situations in global outreach. This protocol provides information on pre-departure preparation, onsite setup, operative precautions, and post-departure debriefings. Emphasis is placed on a standardized, reproducible workflow that accounts for necessary site-specific adjustments. Strategies include emergency simulations, site-specific safety checklists, standardized operating room protocols, and well-defined individual responsibilities. The authors also provide anticipatory guidance in addressing unexpected circumstances, such as disease outbreak and natural disaster, during global outreach. In conclusion, a proactive and systematic approach to emergency response and prevention is vital to minimizing morbidity and mortality during surgical outreach initiatives. The GSF protocol represents a reproducible approach that other organizations can adopt and adapt to their unique needs.

Historical Tools of Anthropometric Facial Assessment: A Systematic Raw Data Analysis on the Applicability of the Neoclassical Canons and Golden Ratio.

BACKGROUND: The fundamental tenets of facial aesthetic surgery education have not changed in centuries. Research is beginning to demonstrate that the Neoclassical Canons and the Golden Ratio, Phi, have limited utilization in populations other than those of White European extraction. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze comparable raw data in the literature to determine (1) if there is interethnic variability in Neoclassical Canon and Phi measurements, and (2) if the measurements in these representative samples differ from the "ideal." METHODS: A PubMed/Scopus search was performed. Manuscripts with raw data and individuals aged ≥16 were included. Measurements were extracted and employed to calculate the Neoclassical Canons and Phi. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted to compare mean measurements across 6 ethnic groups (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Twenty-seven articles were included. Every continent was represented except Antarctica and Australia. Men were less commonly studied than women. Participant ages ranged from 16 to 56. Averaged Canons 2, 6-8 measurements had significant interethnic differences in males, whereas Canons 5-8 had significant differences across ethnicities in females. For men, there was significant interethnic variability in measurements of Phi 2, 5, 8, 10, and 17. For women, Phi 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, and 17 varied across ethnicities. No ethnic/gender group showed consistent approximation of the "ideal" for both the Neoclassical Canons and Phi. CONCLUSIONS: Today, the utility of the Neoclassical Canons and Phi is limited. It is incumbent on our field to systematically study and define the anthropometric measures that define the "ideal."

Plastic Surgery and Music: Examining Plastic Surgery References in Hit Songs.

The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency by which plastic surgery-related terms have been included in the lyrics of Western music hits from the 1970s to the present day as a proxy for estimating the cultural impact of plastic surgery. A list of the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 songs from 1968 to 2019 and the Billboard Year-End Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs from 1970 to 2019 was obtained for a combined total of 8550 songs. Lyrics for each song were extracted via a web-scraping system, and a database of plastic surgery-related terms was developed by our team. Each term was then queried amongst the compiled lyrics data sets, and the total frequency of plastic surgery-related terms per year and per decade was determined. Each term was also examined in its context of usage to validate its relevance to plastic surgery and determine its connotation through sentiment analysis. The frequency of plastic surgery-related terms referenced in the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 and Billboard Year-End Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts has increased 15-fold from the 1970s (n = 1 song) to 2010s (n = 15 songs). The terms most often mentioned included "doctor," "silicone," "plastic," "surgery," "nip-tuck," and "lipo." Artists who most frequently used plastic surgery-related terms were Kanye West, 2 Chainz, and Nicki Minaj. The current study is the first to evaluate trends in plastic surgery references in music formally. In turn, this study helps further our understanding of the interplay between plastic surgery and popular culture.

Interdisciplinary Considerations for Nasolabial Repair During a Global Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: At the declaration of the global pandemic on March 11, 2020, many hospitals and institutions developed a tiered framework for the stratification and prioritization of elective surgery. Cleft lip and palate repair was classified as low acuity, and nasoalveolar molding (NAM) clinics were closed. Anticipating the consequences of delayed cleft care and the additional burden this would cause families, we reassessed our risk-stratification and perioperative algorithms. We hypothesized we could safely optimize nasolabial repair without burdening our care systems and without increasing COVID-19-related morbidity/mortality. METHODS: Our multidisciplinary cleft team reevaluated patient selection to maximize surgical impact. Perioperative protocols were adjusted, and COVID-19 preoperative testing was utilized before nasolabial repair and prior to suture removal under anesthesia. RESULTS: Early in the pandemic, unilateral cleft repair was prioritized and successfully completed on 9 patients. There were no complications related to COVID-19. Nasoalveolar molding clinic was reopened after total patient volume was significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: We offer an approach for surgical management of nasolabial clefts during a global pandemic. Although guidelines have suggested postponing all cleft care, we found that at our dedicated pediatric hospital with low burden of COVID-19 and adequate resources, we could follow a strategy to safely resume cleft care while decreasing burden on our patients' families and care delivery systems.

Cost-effectiveness of Erenumab Versus Surgical Trigger Site Deactivation for the Treatment of Migraine Headaches: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Migraine headache is a common, debilitating condition responsible for astronomical societal burden. The chronicity of migraine headaches necessitates the use of many healthcare services. Preventative treatment remains the desirable option for this patient population. Pharmacologic advances have led to the development of erenumab, a monoclonal antibody calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist that directly interferes with the known biochemical pathway of migraine initiation. Alternatively, surgical decompression of migraine trigger sites is a historically effective preventative option for certain patients experiencing migraine headaches. As new treatments emerge, the large economic burden of migraine headaches requires cost evaluation against already available preventative modalities. METHODS: Studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of both erenumab and surgical trigger site deactivation were found using EMBASE and MedLine. Relevant economic data was extracted from this literature and the cost of treatment with erenumab was compared with surgical decompression. RESULTS: The market price of erenumab is $6900/yr. Speculative models predicted a direct annual healthcare cost ranging from $11,404 to $12,988 for patients experiencing episodic migraine. For chronic migraine patients, this range extended to $25,604. Annual indirect costs ranged from $7601 to $19,377. Prospective and model-based studies evaluating surgical trigger site deactivation reported an average 1 time surgical cost between $6956 and $10,303. In episodic migraine, subsequent annual healthcare costs were $900. CONCLUSIONS: Erenumab has potential to be a revolutionary noninvasive preventative treatment for migraine headache. With that said, the cost-conscious option for patients receiving more than 1 year of treatment remains surgical trigger site deactivation.

Sustainable Cleft Care: A Comprehensive Model Based on the Global Smile Foundation Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Clefts of the lip and palate are leading congenital facial anomalies. Underserved patients with these facial differences lack access to medical care, surgical expertise, prenatal care, or psychological support. Moreover, the disease results in significant economic strains on patients and their families. While surgical outreach programs have attempted to fill this void, significant challenges facing international comprehensive cleft care persist. OBJECTIVE: Propose a path toward international sustainable cleft care based on the Global Smile Foundation experience. RESULTS: International sustainable comprehensive cleft care can be achieved by regulating surgical outreach programs. Regulation of these missions would ensure standardized care and encourage stakeholders to cooperate and adequately allocate funding and resources. Capacity building can be achieved through "diagonal" cleft care delivery models, multidisciplinary workshops, fellowship programs, research and quality assurance, as well as leveraging emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality. CONCLUSION: International comprehensive cleft care requires continuous collaborative efforts between visiting and local teams as well as international and national organizations. Standardizing and regulating current practices as well as promoting capacity building initiatives can contribute to sustainable cleft care.

Extensive Polyostotic Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia With Optic Nerve Impingement.

ABSTRACT: Fibrous dysplasia is a benign overgrowth of metaplastic fibrous material resulting in disorganized deposition of bony matrix. Surgical intervention is the primary treatment modality. Here the authors present the case of a 36-year-old male with extensive and severe fibrous dysplasia of the calvarium, orbit, sphenoid, and facial bones causing significant facial distortion and impingement of his optic nerve. Combined operative treatment with craniofacial plastic surgery and neurosurgery was performed. Repair consisted of extensive intra- and extracranial resection and contouring of involved bones followed by reconstruction of the superior orbital rims, forehead, orbital roof, and calvarium with custom polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant. The authors discuss the advantages of using computer assisted design/modeling, intraoperative neuronavigation, and custom prosthetic cranioplasty for surgical treatment of extensive fibrous dysplasia; a review of the current surgical literature is provided.

Using Virtual Augmented Reality to Remotely Proctor Overseas Surgical Outreach: Building Long-Term International Capacity and Sustainability.

BACKGROUND: Cleft lip affects one in 700 children globally, and the prevalence far surpasses capacity to deliver cleft care in underresourced and endemic regions. A hands-on educational presence is needed to promote overseas surgical autonomy, build overseas capacity, and ensure a sustained clinical and educational infrastructure. The goal of this study was to build and assess an augmented reality educational platform that allows a remote yet virtual interactive presence to transfer cleft surgery knowledge/skills to overseas colleagues. METHODS: A prospective study assessing a 13-month overseas augmented reality-based cleft surgery curriculum was conducted. Three semiannual site visits engaged two Peruvian surgeons in evidence-based didactics, on-site cleft surgery, and familiarization with the augmented reality platform. During 10 remote augmented reality visits, a surgeon stationed in United States guided the same Peruvian surgeons through cleft surgery. Quarterly assessments of the Peruvian surgeons were performed using visual analogue scale questionnaires. RESULTS: Visual analogue scale scores by both the remote and overseas surgeons demonstrated significant, progressive improvement in all facets of cleft lip repair throughout the curriculum. Site visits preferentially built capacity for cleft diagnosis and preoperative counseling (p < 0.001), principles of repair (p < 0.001), repair technique (p < 0.02) and intraoperative decision-making (p < 0.001). Remote sessions preferentially developed understanding of cleft operative design/anthropometry (p < 0.04), cleft anatomy (p < 0.01), and operative efficiency (p < 0.001). At 30-month follow-up, no children with cleft lip required transfer to tertiary care centers. CONCLUSION: A curriculum that combines on-site training and augmented reality-based hands-on remote teaching can build sustained capacity of comprehensive cleft care in underresourced areas.

Clinically Applied Anatomy: An Impactful Initiative in the Evolution of Medical Education.

PURPOSE: Today, medical education emphasizes clinical applications of anatomic knowledge. In 2014, we instituted Clinically Applied Anatomy (CAA) within first-year Human Gross Anatomy at our university. The course was designed and overseen by academic plastic surgery. We hypothesized CAA would positively impact students' understanding, performance, and interest in human anatomy. METHODS: From 2014 to 2018, 13 CAA case-based didactics were integrated into the anatomy curriculum without changing the total anatomy-related student hours; each emphasized the clinical relevance of overlooked (or memorized) anatomic detail. Clinically Applied Anatomy instructors led associated clinical cadaver dissections. Upon course completion, students from each participating class were anonymously surveyed. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-four students completed the survey (75% response). Eighty-six percent reported CAA increased mastery of human anatomy, 77% stated CAA improved examination performance, 87% agreed CAA increased interest in anatomy itself, and 96% reported CAA increased their critical thinking of how understanding anatomy affects clinical care. Nearly half (49.4%) responded that CAA increased interest in applying for a procedurally oriented residency. When considering future integration of CAA into the medical school curriculum, 9% of students wanted less CAA, 61% wanted the same, and 30% wanted more. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically Applied Anatomy significantly impacts medical students' anatomy education. Currently, 17 CAA faculty from 7 departments/divisions participate in all 26 of our school's anatomy sessions. As per our institution, we advocate this cost-effective and impactful initiative be led by academic plastic surgeons. These clinicians possess broad and specialized anatomic expertise as well as the leadership and interdisciplinary working relationships needed to enroll a multidisciplinary team of clinical educators.