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Craniofacial Surgery

Craniofacial SurgeryAt UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, we believe parents and guardians can contribute to the success of this surgery and invite you to participate. Please read the following information to learn about the surgery and how you can help.

Fast Facts About Craniofacial Surgery

  • Craniofacial surgery is an operation to fix congenital (con-JEN-it-ool) defects of the skull, meaning problems that were present at birth, or injuries to the soft tissue and bone in the head and neck. 
  • Your child’s craniofacial surgery will be done under general anesthesia (an-es-THEEZ-ya), which means that he or she will be sound asleep during the surgery. 
  • When general anesthesia is needed, there are important rules for eating and drinking that must be followed in the hours before the surgery.
  • This surgery usually takes about 8 hours, depending on the type and severity of your child’s reconstruction.
  • Your child will stay in the hospital for at least 3 days after the surgery.