Twelve years ago, a sudden accident steered the then 9-year-old Tibetan boy's life off course. Severely bitten by a pack of vicious dogs, he had no choice but to embark on a twelve-year journey seeking medical treatment with shocking physical wounds.
Over those twelve years, from Tibet to Chengdu and then to Shanghai, he visited numerous hospitals and underwent several major reconstructive surgeries. At the beginning of this year, this journey finally saw a glimmer of hope again at the Plastic Surgery Department of Jiahui International Hospital. A reconstructive surgery helped improve his appearance, restore some function, and alleviate 12 years of physical and mental tension, bringing comfort and hope to his family.
Reconstructive Journey After Extensive Facial and Scalp Injury
The 2013 accident left a lasting wound on the entire family. After the severe injury, the patient traveled to Lhasa, Chengdu, and other cities for emergency care and multiple reconstructive procedures. To repair the extensive damage to his head and face, he underwent repeated skin grafts, scalp expander placement, ear reconstruction, and perioral repairs.
Each operation brought intense pain and hope, yet the outcomes remained imperfect: large, old scars still covered his head and face, and his facial features were asymmetrical. Because the dog bite destroyed much of the subcutaneous tissue, the scalp scars adhered tightly to the skull; scar tension forced his eyelids partially closed, leaving him long accustomed to unbearable tightness. The persistent physical suffering and distress about his appearance steadily eroded his emotional well‑being. While surgeons could close the physical wounds, the psychological trauma continued. His family often heard him awaken from nightmares about being bitten, and years of treatment had plunged this ordinary herding family deep into debt.
Skilled Surgery Eases Scar Tightness
In January of this year, a patient, accompanied by family, sought help from the Department of Plastic Surgery at Jiahui International Hospital. Faced with this complex case caused by a severe dog bite and involving intricate anatomical structures, Associate Chief Physician of Plastic Surgery Lisa LOU conducted a comprehensive and meticulous preoperative assessment. Drawing on years of clinical experience in reconstructive surgery, Dr. Lou accurately determined that the key to the surgery lay in thoroughly releasing the dense adhesions between the scalp scar and the skull, and reconstructing a healthy subcutaneous soft tissue sliding layer. Only by doing this could the underlying tightness be truly relieved, creating the conditions for further cosmetic improvement. Considering the patient's family's financial difficulties and the arduous journey to seek medical help, the department team meticulously developed the best surgical plan, with the intention to address the patient's needs as fully as possible while minimizing trauma and cost.
On January 7th, Dr. Lisa LOU, assisted by Dr. Kyle CHEN, with Dr. LIU Sheng from the Anesthesiology Department ensuring the patient's vital signs, performed a facial scar release combined with autologous fat grafting and flap/skin grafting using advanced plastic surgery techniques. The surgery went smoothly. With careful dissection and precise separation of adhesions between the skin and deeper tissues, we treated the more difficult areas on the forehead and temples. Fat was harvested from the patient’s abdominal wall and used for autologous fat grafting to thicken the subcutaneous layer and restore the subcutaneous sliding plane. Around the eyes, scar tissue was released within the functional units and combined with flap transfer and autologous skin grafting, which improved the patient’s eyelid closure.
On January 15th, a follow-up examination showed that the surgical area on the patient's head was healing well, the blood supply to the flaps and skin grafts was normal, and the appearance had improved, achieving the core goals set before surgery. Most importantly, the "tightness" that had long bothered him disappeared. Dr. Lisa LOU stated, "This case was challenging because we had to carefully separate and rebuild severely damaged tissue while also finding healthy layers suitable for fat grafting. The operation relieved the tightness caused by the scar adhesions. With the autologous fat transplant, the patient’s own stem cells and growth factors can continue to soften the scar over time, which is an important step toward improving his quality of life. We’re very happy to see him and his family smiling."
During the follow-up visit, Dr. Lou carefully guided the patient on post-operative recovery precautions, including manual massage to help restore blood supply to the wound, and advised the patient to focus on nutrition, which involved eating more meat and building up fat to have future opportunities for fat extraction and grafting for further repair.
After 12 Years of Hardship, Care and Skill Restore Hope
For the patient and his family, the significance of this treatment goes far beyond a successful surgery. The patient's cousin, on behalf of the entire family, expressed deep gratitude to the medical team, “It is your dedication that has finally given us new hope after twelve years of seeking medical treatment. Tashi Delek!"
The Department of Plastic Surgery at Jiahui International Hospital has always adhered to the philosophy of "patient-centered care," emphasizing the integration of humanistic medical care while pursuing technological advancements. This young man's case is a vivid example of this philosophy. The hospital not only solved complex clinical problems with high-level medical technology but also accompanied the patient and his family through critical treatment stages with the team's love and patience, giving them the courage and support to restart a better life.
This story of resilience, love, and professionalism has written a hopeful chapter at Jiahui International Hospital. Saying goodbye to twelve years of hardship and welcoming the dawn of new life, the patient's future is slowly unfolding.
