The Yale Face Transplant Program focuses on reconstructive surgeries for patients who have a serious disfigurement or trauma to the face, head, and neck. This includes patients who have significant facial deformities they were born with, or those who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries, such as a burn, ballistic trauma, or an animal attack. Facial reconstruction is a field that demands detailed planning and highly specialized surgical skills, as well as complex team logistics. We know that each person’s facial tissue is unique, so we reconstruct and restore the appearance and function of the face, and that includes its abilities for movement and sensation. Our goal is to restore appearance and function in a way that can impact both physical and mental health, and improve quality of life even in the most difficult situations. Yale’s Face Transplant Program is led by a pioneer who performed the first three full-face transplants in the United States. Because face transplantation is a relatively new procedure, we are currently one of only a handful of programs in the U.S. that provides this type of surgery. Facial transplantation surgery is, by necessity, multidisciplinary, involving collaboration among a variety of specialized surgeons and other providers. Each operation must be carefully orchestrated. Timing is critical, since transplant tissue must be procured from a donor who has died, and additional consent obtained from the family. And a successful transplantation requires a four-hour window from the time the facial tissue is detached from the donor to the time blood flow is re-established with the transplant recipient. While each case is different—requiring its own unique approach—we perform facial transplantation conservatively, identifying and replacing only those areas of the face that are missing, if possible, and avoiding any part that is currently functioning. Each operation takes at least 16 hours and typically more, usually with multiple microsurgical procedures to connect nerves and blood vessels. The use of computer 3-D simulation of the facial skeleton allows surgeons to design how the bone recovered from the donor will match the recipient, as much as possible. In addition to greater precision in planning of such a complex procedure, it also saves time during the surgery, which often translates into fewer complications. Face transplantation often results in the patient regaining normal functions—it involves opening the airway to restore smell and providing lips for better eating and speech. These surgeries are major life events for patients, who already may have experienced a major trauma and lived with a difficult disfigurement while waiting for treatment to become available. We provide a variety of support, including psychiatric care, a social worker, and nursing coordinators who are ready to assist patients and families with whatever support they may need. Our surgeries are carefully orchestrated endeavors that req

The Skin & Kidney Cancer Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital brings together an extensive, multidisciplinary team to diagnose, treat, and care for patients with all types of skin cancers, including melanoma, as well as kidney cancers. Established over 30 years ago, our program includes experts in surgery, medical oncology, dermatology, urology, pathology, dermatopathology, radiology, genetics, and radiation oncology. Members of the team are national and international leaders in clinical and laboratory research focusing on improving treatment and outcomes for our patients. From patients who present with an early-stage diagnosis or more complex, metastatic disease, our team is prepared to provide each patient with the most comprehensive and cutting-edge treatment available. Each patient’s care is reviewed by our multidisciplinary care team to develop a personalized treatment plan. Clinical trials are also available to patients through Yale Cancer Center, bringing the latest treatment options to our clinics to benefit patients. Our doctors are at the forefront of melanoma and kidney cancer treatment and research, including novel immunotherapy approaches and the genetic characterization of kidney cancers. Smilow Cancer Hospital places great emphasis on taking care of all of our patients’ needs through a network of supportive care services. Nurses with dedicated knowledge and skills care for our patients through the continuum of their treatment. Patients and their families also have access to social workers to provide psychosocial support, as well as pastoral support, nutritional counseling, physical therapy, palliative care, and integrative medicine. After the initial diagnosis—and depending on the presentation of the disease—each patient is evaluated by our dermatologists, surgeons, urologists, and/or medical oncologists. For some presentations of melanoma and other skin cancers, particularly in the early stages in which disease has not spread beyond the primary site or lymph nodes close to the primary site, surgery may the preferred initial treatment. Specialized surgical expertise is essential for the management of melanoma and other skin cancers, which can occur on any skin site and even in areas not exposed to the sun. Some skin cancers appear in delicate areas such as the face, nose, ear, or hand and often require the expertise of a plastic surgeon. For certain regions of the body, our team collaborates with other highly trained surgical subspecialties, including thoracic surgery and neurosurgery. To care for kidney cancer, we work closely with oncologists and urologic surgeons. In the early stages of melanoma, pathology results from the tumor will determine the risk of developing metastases (spread to distant organs) in the future. If the results indicate a high risk for melanoma metastases, treatments are available to reduce the risk and possibly prevent or delay melanoma recurrence. Adjuvant therapies (or therapies given after surgery

Through laser surgery and other cutting-edge techniques, our board-certified dermatologists can help brighten and rejuvenate our patients’ skin. Our range of expertise includes removal of benign growths such as skin tags and cysts; laser treatment of facial telangiectasias; and the precise placement of fillers to enhance appearance. Laser Treatments For the treatment of broken capillaries on the face due to sun damage, aging, and rosacea, we use a pulsed dye laser to specifically target and destroy these blood vessels. This laser is also used for the treatment of port-wine stains and hemangiomas. For unwanted hair growth, we offer two types of lasers that work either in light or dark skin tones with medium- to dark-colored hair. Over a series of treatments, depending on the site, a significant reduction in hair growth is achieved. Fillers There are a variety of injectable materials that can be placed in the skin to replace volume loss that leads to an aged appearance, or to fill in crevices caused by wrinkles. Common places to use fillers include the lips, smile lines, smoker’s lines, and in the cheeks. We currently offer a range of hyaluronic acid fillers, including Juvéderm®, Restylane®, and Perlane®, which each lasts up to six months. More permanent fillers, such as Sculptra™ and Radiesse®, are also available. Prior to injection of any filler, we perform a cosmetic consultation to assess patients’ expectations and areas of concern to provide the best correction possible. Botulinum Toxin A (Botox) Our physicians are experts in facial anatomy, and perform Botulinum Toxin A injections to minimize the appearance of wrinkles that naturally occur through facial expression. The result is a softening of creases and an overall more “relaxed” appearance. These injections can also be placed on the neck and used to decrease excessive sweating in the armpits, hands, or feet.