Craniofacial surgery includes reconstruction of congenital defects as well as deformities caused by trauma or cancer, by restoring or rebuilding the skull and facial skeleton.
Dr. Yee—our craniofacial plastic surgeon—developed her interest in this subspecialty field after seeing the separation of craniopagus twins (Siamese twins attached at the head) and a transfacial approach to a skull base tumor during her training at Johns Hopkins, along with the more common cleft lip and palate repairs, and cranial vault remodeling for craniosynostosis.
Dr. Yee was further inspired by hearing a lecture by Dr. S. Anthony Wolfe about Dr. Paul Tessier, the father of craniofacial surgery in Paris. She then sought out advanced training after her plastic surgery residency at UCLA, one of the premier craniofacial centers in the U.S. carrying on Dr. Tessier’s techniques and philosophy. (Dr. Henry Kawamoto, one of Dr. Tessier’s principal American students, and his trainees are among Dr. Yee’s teachers and mentors.) She also spent time in Paris as part of her fellowship to learn from the current generation of French craniofacial and ear reconstruction surgeons, including Dr. Eric Arnaud and Dr. Françoise Firmin.
Dr. Yee finds craniofacial surgery a particularly rewarding and interesting part of plastic surgery, as the face has such a complex structure to reconstruct, and its function is to help us relate to others through expression and communication, as well as carrying the senses of sight, smell, sound, and taste. She is part of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland Craniofacial Team where the more complex pediatric craniofacial cases are performed and followed with a team of experts.
Below is a list of conditions treated by Dr. Yee in her craniofacial practice. Each individual’s condition is unique and specific questions regarding techniques and outcomes will be addressed during the consultation.
- Cleft lip and/or palate
- Craniosynostosis
- Microtia
- Crouzon disease
- Apert syndrome
- Treacher Collins syndrome
- Hemifacial microsomia
- Pfeiffer syndrome
- Saethre Chotzen syndrome
- Facial and nasal encephaloceles with associated craniofacial disorders
- Pierre Robin sequence
If your child has any of these conditions, please call or email us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Yee.