NMCSD Immediate Jaw Reconstruction Surgery
201118-N-DA693-1047
SAN DIEGO (Nov. 18, 2020) Lt. Cmdr. Justin Carl (left), Lt. Justin Odette (center) and Cmdr. Patrick Morrell (right), all oral and maxillofacial surgeons assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), work to attach a new jaw constructed from the patient’s fibula to the face during an immediate, jaw reconstruction procedure in one of NMCSD’s operating rooms Nov. 18. This immediate, jaw reconstruction surgery was the first of its kind in the Department of Defense, the first in California and one of the first in the U.S. The procedure involved multiple surgical teams simultaneously removing a tumor-stricken lower jaw, and creating a jaw bone out of the patient’s fibula, utilizing 3D-printed teeth. NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians, and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Greenberg). Original public domain image from Flickr