Rare Phrenic Nerve Surgery Performed By NJ Medical Team Significantly Improves Patient’s Breathing

“This procedure could have profound implications for helping a wide range of patients suffering from breathing problems caused by spinal cord injury, heart surgery, pulmonary disease, and possibly even cases where the cause of paralysis is not clearly defined.” Dr. Kaufman

SHREWSBURY, N.J. – December 22, 2009 – The Plastic Surgery Center today announced that immediately following a rare phrenic nerve surgery to repair his paralyzed diaphragm, a 47-year-old man has reported significantly improved breathing and feels “15 years younger.”  The surgery marked the second known case of successful phrenic nerve decompression, both of which were performed by a New Jersey medical team led by Dr. Matthew Kaufman of the Plastic Surgery Center in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

In a complex procedure, Dr. Kaufman and his team performed a microsurgical decompression of the phrenic nerve in order to restore diaphragm function.  Five years prior, the patient, Richard Thompson, Jr. from Atlanta, Georgia, inexplicably began suffering from a paralyzed diaphragm muscle.  As a result, he experienced daily headaches from nighttime breathing difficulties and constant shortness of breath, limiting his ability to exercise, while also impacting his normal daily activities.

“We are extremely pleased with the successful outcome of this procedure, as it significantly improved Mr. Thompson’s quality of life,” said Dr. Kaufman. “Further, this procedure could have profound implications for helping a wide range of patients suffering from breathing problems caused by spinal cord injury, heart surgery, pulmonary disease, and possibly even cases where the cause of paralysis is not clearly defined.”

Dr. Kaufman is a part of the medical team at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction at the Plastic Surgery Center, which is comprised of a group of surgeons who are highly skilled in nerve transplantation and advanced reconstruction. They perform a number of unique operations to help patients suffering from life-altering medical conditions who are often told there are no treatment options available. Some of these conditions that the Plastic Surgery Center treats include:

1. Paralysis resulting from accidents and strokes
2. Diabetic neuropathy
3. Paralyzed diaphragm/ventilator-based breathing
4. Facial reanimation
5. Nerve decompression for migraine headaches

About The Plastic Surgery Center

Located in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, The Plastic Surgery Center’s team of doctors has more than 50 years of combined experience performing facial, skin, and body cosmetic surgery. They offer cutting edge cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and have developed a number of innovative surgical techniques offered at few other facilities in the world. The Plastic Surgery Center doctors are committed to excellence providing exceptional, personalized care in a friendly, comfortable setting using the most advanced equipment available. For further information, please visit the Plastic Surgery Center’s website at www.looknatural.com.

About Dr. Kaufman

Dr. Matthew Kaufman is a board certified Plastic Surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). He has the rather rare distinction of also achieving board certification in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, which gives him the added expertise necessary to deal with complex cosmetic and reconstructive problems of the head, face and neck. Dr. Kaufman has special interests in reconstructive surgery for cranial nerve disorders, skin and head & neck cancer and vascular malformations. He practices at the Plastic Surgery Center in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, and is a Cancer Reconstruction and Microsurgery Consultant for the Head and Neck Oncology Group of Central New Jersey based at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick. Dr. Kaufman is on the advisory board for FM World Charities, a not-for-profit organization devoted to promoting public health and improving the quality of life in underserved communities throughout the world.