Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

The American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery has launched a new program for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with facial injuries. The Faces of Honor program connects volunteer surgeons from around the country with veterans with facial injuries. It is a program that veterans can take advantage of once our military and VA hospitals have done all they can do. The program was launched last fall but is only starting to gain momentum. If you know a veteran with a facial injury, please let him know about this program. Further contact information can be obtained at www.facesofhonor.org.

After many months of planning, Dr. Mark Delacure and I, working with a team of plastic and reconstructive surgeons, rebuilt Brandy’s nose today. I began the surgery by opening her nasal airways and preparing the nose and midface for Dr. Delacure’s free flap. He harvested the free flap that had already been constructed into a nasal shape on her forearm, then transfered it up to her face. This major nasal reconstruction was a novel application of a well-known technique of using forearm skin and bone to rebuild the nose. However, most often this is used as the lining of the nose, with the cover coming from a forehead skin flap. In this case, the flap was used partly for cover and partly for lining. Brandy will need another surgery in a few months to finish the reconstruction of her nostrils. But after this surgery, she will be able to breathe and smell for the first time in 5 years.

For press coverage of this story, see the Daily News article: NYU Medical Center to give shooting victim brand new nose Tuesday http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/07/28/2009-07-28_miracle_surgery_new_nose_for_crime_victim.html

As part of our continuing story of Brandy Elias, we wanted to keep you posted on her progress so far. She has had the second phase of her reconstructive surgery with Dr. Mark Delacure at the New York University Langone Medical Center and is recovering nicely. Below is a photo taken of Brandy with Dr. Delacure at her recent pre-operative visit in his office.

During this second surgical procedure Dr. Delacure rolled the forearm skin up and around two soft rubber tubes, forming what will one day be Brandy’s nostrils. The next and final major surgery will be in one to two months, when the forearm flap/preformed nose will be transferred to her face.

We again welcome any questions, comments, or letters of support for Brandy which may be sent via our website or to the office. Address your letters to Dr. Constantinides attention: Brandy Elias 530 First Avenue, Suite 7U New York, NY 10016.

We are happy to report that Dr. Constantinides has been on the radio twice this week. On Sunday March 8th he was interviewed for BlogTalkRadio, the world’s first social radio network. BlogTalk allows listeners to connect with the guest speakers through free, live, call-in talk shows with unlimited participants. The interviewer for the talk show was Kristy G. and the title of the show for the evening was “Surviving Physical and Sexual Assault.”
The topic that Dr. Constantinides was asked to discuss was his work with the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery’s pro bono program, Face to Face. The Face to Face Program has taken some 34, 500 telephone calls on its 1-800 number and the physicians that participate in the program have seen over 2500 patients nationwide. Some of the questions that were directed to Dr. Constantinides were about the program itself. What does it offer? How did it come to pass within the academy? Who qualifies? How does someone reach out to the doctor? All of these questions and answers Dr. C is very familiar with since he was previously the Chairman of Face to Face and is still very active in providing services to victims of domestic violence.
Dr. C also had a guest contributor on the show, Brandy Elias. As some of you know, Brandy came to Dr. C through the Face to Face Program. She was asked to give her story to listeners and to describe how the Face to Face program changed her life.
On Wednesday March 11th Dr. Constantinides had the pleasure of being on Doctor Radio, a Sirius Satellite radio station found on Channel 114/XM 119 created exclusively by the NYU Langone Medical Center. The topic was Face to Face and his work with domestic violence patients. Brandy’s case was discussed briefly as well as his previous work with Roshauna Tate. Dr. C is very passionate about his work with the AAFPRS and the Face to Face Program. The services that he and all of his colleagues provide to these patients are life changing and essential in helping them to start their lives anew. Doctor radio is heard by over 20 million listeners across the country.
If you are interested in hearing the broadcast of Dr. Constantinides’ interview with Dr.Roshini Rajapaska on Sirius Satellite Radio look for it on our website within the next few weeks.
You can listen to his interview on BlogTalk Radio on our website as well and learn more about BlogTalkRadio by logging onto a live show at www.blogtalkradio.com.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence an act of violence, please do not hesitate. ACT. The telephone number for the Face to Face Program is 1-800-842-4546.

As part of our continuing story of Brandy Elias we wanted to keep you posted on her progress so far. She has had the first part of her surgery with Dr. Mark Delacure at the New York University Langone Medical Center and is recovering nicely. Below are the photos of the first stage of Brandy’s surgery and her post-operative visit with Dr. Delacure’s office.

We welcome any questions, comments, or letters of support for Brandy which may be sent via our website or to the office. Address your letters to: Brandy Elias, c/o Minas Constantinides, MD, 530 First Avenue, Suite 7U, New York, NY 10016.

This month starts something new on the blog. We will be following the cosmetic reconstruction case of an amazing girl named Brandy Elias. Over two years ago Dr. Constantinides was asked to consult on a case involving a young girl from Guyana named Brandy Elias. She was the victim of a drive-by shooting in 2004. This was a completely random act of violence and in no way was Brandy targeted. She was shot six times with two of the bullets hitting her in the face. The multiple gunshots removed most of her nose and damaged her sinuses so that her eyes continuously tear. Brandy is a remarkable young woman who was introduced to Dr. Constantinides by Mr. Jeremiah Drake, an artist and instructor at the Riverside Church in New York City.

Mr. Drake and Dr. Constantinides had met several years ago in 2006 when he was in search of a facial plastic surgeon to speak with regarding women in his community that had been victims of domestic violence. Jeremiah is known for his art project called Restoring the Icon and visual arts series called The Slashing of the Icon. These are his artistic statements on domestic and social violence which causes facial and bodily disfigurement. He had contacted the main offices of Face to Face and was directed to the Domestic Program. Face to Face is the pro bono arm of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery which is dedicated to treating women with domestic violence injuries, traveling to countries such as Vietnam, China, and Russia to name a few where surgery is performed by members of the AAFPRS on local people who would be unable to afford or have reconstructive or cosmetic surgery to correct facial defects. The director of the Domestic Program referred Jeremiah to Dr. Constantinides. They spent some time talking on the phone about ways in which Dr. C. could be of help to his community. Several days after their discussion Jeremiah saw an article in the Daily News about a young woman named Roshauna Tate. Roshauna was slashed in the face by her boyfriend during a murder/suicide attempt. After slashing Roshauna’s face he dove into New York Harbor with their 9 month old son Nacir in an attempt to drown them both. A NYPD officer jumped in after them and was able to save Nacir but unable to save the boyfriend. He had two thoughts at the time. The first was to contact Roshauna and the second was to have her consult with Dr. Constantinides.

During one of Roshauna’s follow-up visits with Dr. Constantinides, Jeremiah showed him pictures of Brandy. Immediately he knew that she was someone he could be help if she was able to come to New York. Two years have now passed and Roshauna’s facial scars have been repaired along with two large keloidal masses that have been removed from her ears. She is engaged, attends cosmetology school, and has recently celebrated Nacir’s 2nd birthday.

Jeremiah was interviewed by the Daily News after Roshauna’s surgery. In the article he mentioned Dr. Constantinides and the success of Roshauana’s surgical outcome. The story came out on November 22, 2006. Soon after it was printed Mr. Drake met with Brandy’s godfather, Mr. Bobby Bowden. He had heard about Dr. Constantinides’ successful work with Roshauna and his collaboration with Jeremiah. The story gave him hope that he had found two people who would bring Brandy some closure and more importantly help her to heal inside and out.

After agreeing to take on Brandy’s case Dr. Constantinides entered her into the Langone NYU Medical Center’s International Services Program. Through the incredible and exhaustive efforts of Mr. Drake, Maria Corbo who is the Director of the International Services Program, The Office of Congresswoman Yvette Clark, Dr. Constantinides, and our amazing office, the arduous process of petitioning the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Guyana began. They had to secure and help put in place the immigration visa for Brandy so that she could travel to the states for her reconstructive surgery with Dr. C.

Brandy arrived at JFK International Airport on Friday November 14, 2008 and is now here on a permanent visa.

Over the next few months Dr. Constantinides and his colleague Dr. Mark Delacure will perform surgeries on Brandy culminating in one final surgery to attach a nose to replace the bandage that she is using to cover the scars of her ordeal. There will be 3 surgical stages.

The first stage, which involved designing a skin flap on her left arm took place on Monday February 2, 2009 and was performed by Dr Mark Delacure.

The 2nd stage will take place about one month after this first surgery. The 3rd and final stage which is the major surgery will take place about one month after her second procedure. This final stage is where the free flap from the arm will be transferred to the face, the airway will be opened, and her left eye repaired, will be about one month after that. The dates of her next two surgeries are yet to be determined.

We will keep you all informed about Brandy’s progress as it becomes available to us. Along with that information we will post photos of the step by step evaluation and progress from beginning to end of this remarkable reconstructive process.

We look forward to any comments you may have and words of support for Brandy as well.