Fourteen-year old Cristian Avina knows all too well the devastating injuries all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) can cause. Four months ago, Cristian and his sister, Rociel, hopped on an ATV for a little innocent fun in the desert near their home. Cristian was riding tandem with his sister when a bird flew into them causing him to lose control. The ATV crashed, sending Cristian and Rociel flying - neither was wearing a helmet. Cristian suffered serious head injuries, including an amputated ear.

"This has been a nightmare," said Martha Avina, Cristian and Rociel’s mother. "Rociel was not badly hurt and went for help. Upon her return, she saw that her brother had been pecked at and his severed ear had been partially eaten by vultures. Cristian’s ear could not be reattached - reconstructive plastic surgery to rebuild it started this summer."

Whether on vacation or out for recreation, many adults and children are hopping on ATVs for some warm weather fun. But ATVs are not toys. They can go more than 60 miles per hour, weigh more than 700 pounds and tip over easily. In fact, more than 135,000 Americans are injured in ATV-related accidents each year, 30 percent of them children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports.

The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) are urging ATV riders, especially parents and children, to be more cautious and follow safety tips to help reduce the incidence of ATV-related injuries.

"Unfortunately, cases like Cristian’s are not uncommon," said ASMS President Andrew Wexler, MD. "It will take multiple reconstructive surgeries - attaching an implant, providing soft tissue coverage and skin grafting - to rebuild Cristian’s ear. Each year, plastic surgeons treat thousands of patients with severe head trauma, eye injuries, disfiguring lacerations and facial fractures from ATV accidents. These debilitating injuries may be avoided by following a few safety tips."

Plastic surgeons strongly recommend following the CPSC safety tips for ATV riders:

• Get properly trained
   
• Always wear protective gear - especially a helmet
  Many ATV injuries are head injuries.
  Additional protective gear includes closed toed shoes, goggles, gloves, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts to protect against cuts.
   
• Children under 16 should never ride adult-sized ATVs
  Children should only use ATVs that are appropriate for their age. Most injuries occur when a child is driving or riding an adult-sized ATV.
   
• Never ride tandem
  Most ATVs are designed for one person; a passenger can make it difficult for drivers to control the machine.
   
• Don’t ride on paved roads
  ATVs can be very difficult to control on pavement; collisions with cars and other vehicles can be deadly.
   
• Never ride at night
   
• Don’t ride under the influence

"When it comes to protective gear, it’s especially important to wear a helmet, since many ATV-related injuries involve trauma to the head and face," said ASPS President Richard D’Amico, MD. "Studies show helmets can reduce non-fatal head injuries by 64 percent and deaths by 42 percent."

"ATVs can be treacherous and difficult to steer. They are not like riding a bicycle," said Dr. Wexler. "The injuries we see from these machines can be devastating."

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.

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The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons is the oldest organization representing maxillofacial plastic surgeons. The members of the ASMS are surgeons of high moral and ethical standing and professional attainment, who are experts in craniofacial restoration. The mission of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons is to advance the science and practice of surgery of the facial region and the craniofacial skeleton. The Society accomplishes its mission through excellence in education and research, and through advocacy on behalf of patients and practitioners.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. For more information, please visit

http://www.plasticsurgery.org/

.

Source: ASPS Public Relations

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

In a groundbreaking study involving 75 African American patients, Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj, Founder and Director of The Aesthetic Facial Surgery Institute of New York and New Jersey, statistically proves a unique three-tiered surgical approach in rhinoplasty results in an excellent degree of preservation of ethnic characteristics, very high patient satisfaction postoperatively and consistently increased self-esteem.

The nose is the central feature of the face; therefore it can easily enhance or detract from one’s overall facial aesthetics. In its 2005 survey, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that rhinoplasty was the most common cosmetic procedure in the African American population averaging at 65%. "Rhinoplasty, a procedure that was sometimes used in an attempt to make an African American nose look more Caucasian, has evolved a great deal as societal understanding of ethnic beauty and surgical techniques for ethnic features have improved," Dr. Slupchynskyj reports. "A surgeon performing African American rhinoplasty should be aware of, and be able to distinguish, the various standards of beauty present in different ethnic groups; only then s/he can work to enhance ethnic features, as opposed to changing them to fit inappropriate standards of beauty."

In this study, all 75 African American patients sought:

1) nasal dorsal augmentation for inadequate nasal dorsal height;
2) elevation of a low or depressed nasal-frontal angle;
3) refinement of a poorly defined, rounded or bulbous nasal tip;
4) reduction of nasal width both horizontally and vertically.

To address these common issues the three-tiered approach to African American rhinoplasty was used in all 75, and Dr. Slupchynskyj found it to be a technique that yields great patient satisfaction, allows for maintenance of ethnic features, and yields a minimal rate of complications. This three-tiered approach enhances the equilibrium of the nose and face by increasing dorsal height, lessens nasal flare, and increases tip refinement and projection, while maintaining ethnic characteristics.

"According to the results of our study, the majority of patients indicated a low, if any, change in ethnic characteristics," said Dr. Slupchynskyj.
Concurrently, when addressing patient satisfaction with the result of this technique, an overwhelming number of patients indicated average or above-average satisfaction with their result.
Finally, Dr. Slupchynskyj states, "When the high increase in self-esteem due to this procedure is considered with our study results, we can indicate this technique as one that successfully addresses concerns of African American patients seeking rhinoplasty surgery. African American patients are not looking to change their ethnic features; they seek satisfaction from a nose that is in harmony with the remainder of their facial features."

The Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery is the official publication for The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc., The European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and The International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgery Societies.

Oleh Slupchynskyj, M.D. is the Director and Founder of The Aesthetic Facial Surgery Institute of New York and New Jersey with offices in Manhattan and West Orange and has been in private practice for over 10 years. Born and raised in Manhattan, Dr. Slupchynskyj is double board certified through the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology with training specific to the head, neck and face. He is named one of the top plastic surgeons of 2007 by the Consumers’ Research Council of America and is considered a face specialist. His SLUPLift mini-lift was recently featured on CBS2 News. He has also been featured on NY1News, The New York Daily News, Vogue, Woman’s World, Gotham, Redbook, Jane and Time Out NY. He is a member of the following Societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology, New York County Medical Society, American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy and American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. More information on his surgical techniques can be found on the website www.facechange.org and www.africanamericanrhinoplasty.com.