Conditions Treated With Our Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeries

Many patients with chronic pain and discomfort believe they must learn to live with their condition. At the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction, we aim to change this frustrating narrative. Our revolutionary procedures can provide lasting relief, giving patients a new sense of hope for a healthier, happier future.

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Why Choose The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction

At our center for plastic and reconstructive surgery, we look beyond the obvious to explore possibilities in care. Our fellowship-trained surgeons offer unique, life-altering procedures rarely found at other centers. In many cases, our experts have personally developed these procedures.

We Treat Over 50 Conditions With Specialty Programs

Arm and Hand Paralysis

Cervicogenic Headaches

Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy

Chronic Joint Pain

Chronic Testicular Pain

Corneal Anesthesia

Diaphragm Paralysis

Dysphagia

Episiotomy Pain

Erectile Dysfunction

Facial Paralysis

Femoral Neuropathy

Foot Drop

Graves Disease

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Limb Paralysis

Nerve Compression Syndrome

Neuroma & Phantom Limb Pain

Obturator Nerve Injury

Occipital Neuralgia

Pilonidal Cysts

Piriformis Syndrome

Plantar Fasciitis

Post Traumatic Headache

Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome

Post-Stroke Treatment

Pressure Sore Management

Spinal Cord Injury

TMJ Headache

Vascular Anomalies

Ventilator Dependency

Vocal Cord Paralysis

We Treat Over 50 Conditions With Specialty Programs

Arm and Hand Paralysis

When the nerve plexuses in the arm are damaged, it can lead to arm or hand paralysis, greatly impacting quality of life. We offer nerve transplant surgery to restore function for those with severely damaged nerves. Working with an expert team of transplant specialists, neurologists, immunologists, and infectious disease specialists, we are one of only a handful of centers in the United States that offer this treatment, which draws patients from around the world.

Cervicogenic Headaches

Cervicogenic headaches can cause crushing pain within the temporal or frontal regions of the head. Originating in the neck, they are often caused by injury to the cervical spine or compression of the occipital nerves on the back of the head. Our advanced treatments, such as Botox® injections and nerve decompression surgery, offer the chance at pain-free living.

Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy occurs when the peripheral nervous system is damaged due to cancer treatment drugs. When these nerves get damaged, sensations in your skin, muscles, and joints can change, causing pain and difficulty with fine motor skills that can interfere with everyday life. The condition can involve a single affected nerve or many nerves symmetrically on both sides of the body.

Chronic Joint Pain

When nerves in your joints are damaged, it can result in significant chronic pain, including burning, stinging, or electric shock sensations. If your pain persists even after orthopedic intervention, we can help. Joint denervation is an advanced nerve surgery we perform to help patients achieve long-term relief.

Chronic Testicular Pain

Persistent pain in the testicle or testicles can significantly interfere in daily activities and cause negative emotional and psychological side effects. Our experienced surgeons perform microsurgical denervation of the spermatic cord, an innovative procedure that interrupts pain signals to alleviate chronic testicular pain.

Corneal Anesthesia

Your cornea is the transparent "window" layer that covers your eyes. When the nerve that provides sensation to the cornea is damaged, it can cause a rare condition known as corneal anesthesia, which could result in vision loss. Our innovative corneal reinnervation surgery — offered by only a few surgeons in the world — utilizes a nerve transplant to restore feeling and reinstate vision.

Diaphragm Paralysis

Your phrenic nerve communicates with your diaphragm, which controls your ability to breathe. Damage to the phrenic nerve can lead to diaphragm paralysis. Our surgeons pioneered world-class treatment for phrenic nerve injury in order to reverse diaphragm paralysis. We are the only known center in the world to offer innovative surgical treatment for phrenic nerve damage.

Dysphagia

Up to 50 percent of people who suffer from a stroke may develop dysphagia, difficulty swallowing that is often painful. Sometimes, dysphagia is severe enough to require a feeding tube for nutrition and tracheostomy tubes for mucous secretions. We offer revolutionary nerve reconstruction surgery that transplants nerves to restore function to the larynx — allowing patients to eat normally again.

Episiotomy Pain

During child birth, a doctor may need to do an episiotomy where a cut is made in the perineum to widen the opening for the baby to come out. Recovery can be painful and some patients may develop nerve damage, called pudendal neuralgia, that causes intense pain and long-term pelvic discomfort.

Erectile Dysfunction

When pills and injections no longer work for those with erectile dysfunction, advanced surgery can help. Our state-of-the-art nerve transfer procedure employs a genitofemoral to cavernous nerve transfer to restore erectile function and change the lives of many who may have previously lost hope.

Facial Paralysis

Facial expressions are a vital part of communication. When patients lose the ability to express themselves due to facial paralysis from stroke, acoustic neuroma surgery, Bell’s palsy, or trauma, we offer a chance for healing with microsurgical nerve reconstruction surgery. Our innovative procedures include cross-facial grafting, gracilis free flap, hypoglossal or masseter nerve transfers, and many other types of nerve repair and transfers.

Femoral Neuropathy

Femoral neuropathy causes individuals to lose sensation or the ability to properly move parts of their leg and occurs due to damage to the femoral nerve located between the upper thigh and groin on each leg. The femoral nerve helps with movement and sends signals to the brain to communicate sensations, including pain and temperature.

Foot Drop

Foot drop results in difficulty lifting the front of the foot, caused by an underlying condition that is often due to a nerve injury. To restore functionality, our expertly trained surgeons offer nerve decompression surgery, nerve reconstruction, tendon transfer, and more. Most patients experience full recovery, with improved mobility and no pain.

Graves Disease

Also known as Graves’ ophthalmopathy, this condition affects the orbit around the eye, causing swelling, redness, bulging eyes, and more. Orbital decompression surgery is a revolutionary procedure offered at our clinic to alleviate symptoms and prevent more serious consequences that can occur in extreme cases.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is a chronic, often debilitating condition that causes painful nodules and abscesses around the apocrine sweat glands. When conservative treatments aren’t enough, we use advanced surgery to restore movement and reduce pain. Working with a plastic surgeon and rheumatologist, our team will tailor your treatment plan to your needs.

Limb Paralysis

Paralysis is the loss of the ability to move some or all of the body. It can have many different causes, and it may be temporary or permanent. If you are experiencing permanent paralysis due to an accident or a stroke, our team can offer hope with reconstructive nerve techniques to help restore function.

Nerve Compression Syndrome

Nerve compression syndrome can occur when tissue swelling or damage puts pressure on a peripheral nerve connected to a limb, such as your wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, buttock, or leg. There are many types of nerve compression syndromes, some of which you may have heard of before. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common type of nerve compression syndrome.

Neuroma & Phantom Limb Pain

After the loss of a limb, some patients experience chronic pain, either due to a neuroma in the residual limb or from phantom limb pain in a limb that has been amputated. This burning, aching, or electric-type pain can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life and functionality. Our advanced nerve surgery techniques, such as Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) surgery, can restore function to remaining muscles and alleviate pain.

Obturator Nerve Injury

The obturator nerve is part of the peripheral nervous system in the groin and helps provide movement and sensation to the inner thigh and supports balancing, rotating, extending your leg, flexing your hip, and other motor functions. People with obturator nerve pain may experience pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, and changes in sensation in their groin area due to an obturator nerve injury.

Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia is when the nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp are injured or inflamed, resulting in painful headaches and tenderness or diminished sensation around the area of the nerve. Our innovative procedures, including Botox® injections and nerve decompression surgery, have helped many headache patients break free from pain.

Pilonidal Cysts

A pilonidal is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that can become infected, causing pain and discomfort. Our surgeons perform a unique procedure that combines cyst excision and flap closure with laser hair removal, both treating the cyst and preventing its recurrence — improving quality of life for our patients.

Piriformis Syndrome

When the piriformis muscles compress the sciatic nerve, it can lead to pain, tingling or numbness in the buttocks — a condition known as Piriformis Syndrome. When non-operative treatment has been exhausted, we offer hope with surgical intervention. Decompression of the sciatic nerve in the buttocks can help many patients find relief from their symptoms.

Plantar Fasciitis

When the ligament supporting the arch of the foot becomes inflamed, pain can occur at its attachment to the heel bone, leading to a condition known as plantar fasciitis. Our treatment options for plantar fasciitis include Plantar Denervation and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injection Therapy, two groundbreaking techniques that help you achieve pain-free walking.

Post Traumatic Headache

Up to 75% of people who suffer from a mild head injury experience headaches, and up to 30% of those sufferers develop long-term, chronic pain. Headaches that develop as a result of an injury, such as a car accident or a fall, are classified as post-traumatic headaches. Our innovative nerve decompression surgery can reduce inflammation to provide near-total relief.

Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome

After a mastectomy, nerve pain can occur in the chest, armpit, shoulder, and/or arm. While pain after breast surgery is common, pain that persists for longer than three months may indicate post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS. We’re pleased to offer a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses pain with nerve surgery as well as reconstruction to minimize tissue deformities.

Post-Stroke Treatment

Swallowing difficulties following a stroke can make eating challenging. Many individuals have had little hope and have had to rely on a feeding tube for nutrition — until now. Our specialists offer a groundbreaking procedure that transplants nerves to restore function to the portions of the larynx that are not working properly, allowing patients to resume an oral diet and greatly improving their quality of life.

Pressure Sore Management

Pressure sores are injuries affecting the skin and underlying tissues, often occurring on bony areas such as the heels, ankles, hips, and tailbone. Those with a medical condition that limits their ability to change positions are most at risk. We offer many procedures to treat and manage pressure sores, including flap surgery and nerve grafting, to relieve discomfort.

Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of sensation, movement, or the ability to breathe unassisted. We perform surgical procedures that can restore a patient’s sense of independence and freedom, including phrenic nerve surgery to help patients breathe without a ventilator and nerve grafting with flap surgery to restore sensation to the hip and buttock areas in paraplegics with recurrent pressure sores.

TMJ Headache

Sometimes, chronic headaches occur as a result of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, which result from hyperactivity of the jaw muscles or abnormal contact between bony surfaces. Along with jaw pain, aching may radiate to the side of the head. We offer comprehensive treatment to eliminate your pain, including TMJ denervation.

Vascular Anomalies

A vascular anomaly is a birthmark or growth resulting from an abnormal formation of arteries, veins, or capillaries, resulting in both functional and cosmetic issues for many. We take a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, combining medication, laser therapy, and advanced surgical procedures.

Ventilator Dependency

Many conditions can cause patients to become dependent on a ventilator to breathe. We offer several treatment options that restore a patient's ability to breathe independently, including surgically implanting a diaphragm pacemaker or phrenic nerve stimulator. We also perform our revolutionary phrenic nerve reconstruction surgery, which can include nerve decompression and nerve grafting to improve function.

Vocal Cord Paralysis

After a stroke, patients may experience vocal cord dysfunction, which manifests as a hoarse and/or weakened voice. Though recovery can occur over time, the condition can become permanent for some. Traditional procedures do not restore normal muscle function to damaged areas. We aim to change that with our advanced microsurgical nerve reconstruction surgery, which transplants nerves to reverse vocal cord dysfunction.

Our Team
Welcomes The Most
Challenging Cases

Hear our patients tell their incredible stories of transformative surgical treatment with our doctors.

Their Stories

Foot Drop Surgery: Officer Anthony's Success Story

Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia Tendon Repair | Dr. Ajul Shah

"My experience with Dr. Colen has been excellent. I couldn't be more thrilled."

- Dana M. Surgery Patient

Russell's Story: Piriformis Syndrome

Debbie's Story | Chemotherapy - Induced Neuropathy

"Dr. Yu's experience & knowledge w/ micro needling gave me a comfort level the 1st time. The results have kept me coming back."

- Alicia O. Patient

Conditions Treated With Our Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeries

Why Choose The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction

We Treat Over 50 Conditions With Specialty Programs