Practice News

The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction’s own New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Russell Ashinoff was featured in the Asbury Park Press for his work with Long Branch, NJ train accident victim Michael Villafuerte.  Read the full article here.

For Helen Lockhart, it was a near death experience that resulted in gaining a new life. Lockhart, who has been overweight her entire life, had reached a high of 370 pounds (she is 5’2 ½” tall) resulting in a series of infections in the skin of her lower abdomen. In May, 2011, one of those infections resulted in a 104-degree fever, a subsequent week-long hospitalization and I.V. antibiotics. “It almost killed me,” declared the 45-year-old Whiting, New Jersey resident.

That’s when her primary care doctor told her, “I think I know someone who can help you.” That someone was New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Russell Ashinoff of The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction in Shrewsbury, NJ.

Lockhart described her first meeting with Ashinoff, “He spoke to me for a few minutes, and asked to see the infection. Most doctors would just pull off the cover and look, but he took care to place a blanket over me.” His kindness immediately impressed her.

Following her recovery from the infection, she went to the offices of The Plastic Surgery Center, where Dr. Ashinoff explained to Lockhart, her mother and sister, the operation that would remove the excess skin of her lower stomach and repair her abdominal hernia. This skin, which hung to her knees, was the site of recurrent infections and severely restricted her ability to move around.

On September, 27, 2011, Helen Lockhart had her post-bariatric surgery. The surgery was designed to take off the excess skin and fat from her lower abdomen. The weight Dr. Ashinoff took off, coupled with what she has lost through subsequent diet and exercise, accounts for 86 total pounds.

According to Dr. Ashinoff, “When a patient has a large amount of skin and fat of the lower abdomen, it is really a vicious cycle. It prevents her from exercising and leads to more weight gain. This procedure allows us to break this cycle and give patients their lives back. Helen is an amazing woman who always puts others first. The first thing Helen asked me when she woke up was, “How are you feeling Dr. Ashinoff?” Her great attitude really helped the recovery process.”

Following the surgery, she spent nearly three months Laurelton Village Rehabilitation Center in Brick, New Jersey, where they offer all types of physical therapy. Her experience led her to plan on returning to volunteer to assist with other patients. “They called me the cheerleader of the floor, since I was always encouraging other patients.”

Currently, Lockhart walks outside a half-hour daily, supplemented with a build-up of more walking time on her indoor treadmill—all which she has been able to do as a result of her surgery. “I can walk better, breathe better. I can do everything better,” she testifies.

“The surgery was a lot to do, but I’m glad I did it, and I’d do it again. I’m very happy,” says Lockhart.

As for Dr. Ashinoff, Helen Lockhart reserves the highest praise, “He’s the most kind and compassionate man ever.”

Surgeon saves teens’ hand after near amputation by train

Shrewsbury, N.J. – May 25, 2011 – The Plastic Surgery Center today announced that a rare, complex surgery was performed to repair the critically injured right hand of a 15-year-old boy, after it was nearly severed by the wheels of a train on April 4th. As a result of the procedure, which was performed by Dr. Russell Ashinoff of the Plastic Surgery Center, the teenager from Elberon, NJ, has avoided amputation and is expected to regain function of his hand.

The initial surgery took place at the Center for the Treatment of Paralysis and Reconstructive Nerve Surgery at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center on April 4, 2011. As part of the procedure, Dr. Ashinoff used advanced microsurgical techniques to repair the arteries and restore blood flow to the hand, decompress the damaged nerves, and repair the broken bones and severed tendons. The process required five surgical procedures over two weeks to remove all of the non-viable tissue. Once the wound was controlled, a skin flap from the lower abdomen and skin grafts were used to replace the damaged tissue and cover the exposed arteries, nerves, tendons and bones.

“This young boy experienced an unfortunate and unique trauma to his hand, which could have certainly led to amputation,” said Dr. Ashinoff. “We are very pleased that we could help save his hand. And, given his young age, we are confident that with the addition of physical therapy, he should be able to regain the use of his hand.”

Dr. Ashinoff is a part of the medical team at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction at the Plastic Surgery Center, which is comprised of a group of surgeons who are highly skilled in nerve transplantation and advanced reconstruction. They perform a number of unique operations to help patients suffering from life-altering medical conditions who are often told there are no treatment options available. Some of these conditions that the Plastic Surgery Center treats include:

• Paralysis resulting from accidents and strokes
• Lymph node transplant for lymphedema
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Paralyzed diaphragm/ventilator-based breathing
• Facial reanimation
• Nerve decompression for migraine headaches

About The Plastic Surgery Center
Located in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, The Plastic Surgery Center’s team of doctors has more than 50 years of combined experience performing facial, skin, and body cosmetic surgery. They offer cutting edge cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and have developed a number of innovative surgical techniques offered at few other facilities in the world. The Plastic Surgery Center doctors are committed to excellence providing exceptional, personalized care in a friendly, comfortable setting using the most advanced equipment available. For further information, please visit www.advancedreconstruction.com, www.facebook.com/ThePlasticSurgeryCenter, www.twitter.com/PlasticSurgNJ.

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The Plastic Surgery Center today announced that the first of two complex reconstructive procedures were completed in an effort to entirely rebuild a 39-year-old man’s severed ear.  The surgery, which was led by Dr. Russell Ashinoff, was performed on Jimmie King, of Red Bank, NJ, who lost much of his ear following a motor vehicle accident in December.

Dr. Russell Ashinoff

During the procedure, Dr. Ashinoff constructed a base, taking cartilage from Mr. King’s ribs and carving it into the shape of his missing right ear.  The base was then placed under the surrounding scalp skin, in order to let the body generate a blood supply to the cartilage.  The surgery was performed on February 24, 2011 at Ocean Medical Center in Brick Township, NJ.  In approximately six weeks, it is expected that the base will have healed and the cartilage will be elevated from the side of the head.  At that time, Dr. Ashinoff will then perform the second procedure, where he will place a skin graft behind the new ear to complete the reconstruction.

“We are very pleased to be able to help Jimmie by reconstructing a new ear,” said Dr. Ashinoff. “Importantly, by using Jimmie’s own cartilage and skin, we were able to avoid having to replace the ear with a prosthetic, which would need to be constantly replaced.  This procedure will allow Jimmie’s ear to permanently look and feel like it did prior to the incident.”

“It was fate that Dr. Ashinoff was on call at the hospital the morning of my accident,” Mr. King noted.  “I cannot wait to see the end result and to finally be able to put on a pair of sunglasses again.”

NJ Reconstructive Surgeon

Dr. Ashinoff is a part of the medical team at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction at the Plastic Surgery Center, which is comprised of a group of surgeons who are highly skilled in nerve transplantation and advanced reconstruction. They perform a number of unique operations to help patients suffering from life-altering medical conditions who are often told there are no treatment options available. Some of these conditions that the Plastic Surgery Center treats include:

• Paralysis resulting from accidents and strokes
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Paralyzed diaphragm/ventilator-based breathing
• Facial reanimation
• Nerve decompression for migraine headaches
• Treatment of Lymphedema

For more information, please visit www.advancedreconstruction.com

SHREWSBURY, NJ – MAY 27, 2010 – The Plastic Surgery Center today announced the successful results of a complex reconstructive surgery performed by Dr. Russell Ashinoff to repair a man’s injured hand. Following the two-stage procedure, Mr. John Johnstone reports that he has regained full function in his left hand, which was severely damaged in a November 2009 wood-cutting accident.

Mr. Johnstone commented, “As a New Jersey State Trooper for the past 24 years, having the use of my left hand is critical to the success of my job. I am thrilled with the results of the surgery, which has allowed me to return to my daily activities.”

On November 29, 2009, Mr. Johnstone suffered fractures, severed tendons and lost part of a finger in his left hand as a result of a backyard wood-cutting accident. A resident of Manasquan, New Jersey, he was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey for emergency surgery. During the procedure, Dr. Ashinoff utilized advanced reconstructive techniques to re-attach the tendons and rebuild Mr. Johnstone’s hand. After the initial surgery in November, Dr. Ashinoff performed a second procedure in April 2010 to remove the remaining scar tissue, completing the process that successfully restored function to his hand.

About Dr. Russell Ashinoff

Dr. Ashinoff is highly skilled in all aspects of cosmetic, reconstructive, and hand surgery, and specializes in breast reconstruction and body contouring after massive weight loss. Dr. Ashinoff has expertise in the latest minimally invasive techniques for rejuvenation and reconstruction of the face, breasts, and body.

About The Plastic Surgery Center

Dr. Ashinoff is a part of the medical team at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction at the Plastic Surgery Center, which is comprised of a group of surgeons who are highly skilled in nerve transplantation, microsurgery and advanced reconstruction. They perform a number of unique operations to help patients suffering from life-altering medical conditions who are often told there are no treatment options available. Some of these conditions include:

• Lymphedema
• Paralysis resulting from accidents and strokes
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Paralyzed diaphragm/ventilator-based breathing
• Facial reanimation
• Nerve decompression for migraine headaches

For further information, please visit:

www.DrAshinoff.com;

www.advancedreconstruction.com;

www.facebook.com/ThePlasticSurgeryCenter;

www.twitter.com/PlasticSurgNJ