Finally, modern surgical training platform for head & neck reconstructive cases covering multiple subspecialties

Yes, there are other surgical videos that show you how to harvest a free flap.  However, there is lack of information on how a particular flap that was harvested should be properly inset to avoid complications along with numerous other clinical factors that go into decision making in practical terms. To our knowledge, there is no other head & neck surgical atlas that are essentially a compilation of challenging, reconstruction surgical case series that provide comprehensive, perioperative clinical information that helps viewers to think and decide on their own what the best treatment option may be along with explanations on various treatment decisions and surgical techniques in a video lecture format that will feel natural and efficient for the modern “Youtube” Generation of surgeons.

It is one thing to read a text about surgical techniques but seeing the surgery in high definition with narration and anatomic highlights can provide a new level of understanding.  This surgical atlas aims to provide a more complete picture of the reconstruction challenges being faced by modern reconstruction surgeons by presenting latest surgical techniques, but more importantly, giving the viewers a chance to make (or learn how to make) their own diagnosis & treatment plan based on the clinical vignette that is being presented in practical terms to improve one’s surgical outcomes and confidence in the operating room.  For training surgeons, it would be beneficial to watch in preparation for upcoming surgical cases as the atlas covers practical surgical tips and commonly asked “pimping” questions in the operating room.

Due to the nature of modern medicine where we are becoming more sub-specialized, it can be difficult to learn surgical techniques that fall outside of one’s own specialty.  Due to the nature of Dr. Lee’s practice that spans multitude of subspecialties (head & neck surgical oncology, facial plastic & reconstructive surgery and endoscopic & open skull base surgery), the viewers will see both advanced head & neck cancer resection techniques or skull base surgical techniques alongside with advanced reconstruction surgical techniques that are being utilized on a single patient during a single surgery or in some cases, over multi-stage surgeries. In addition, viewers see unique ways of blending surgical techniques from these sub-specialties when addressing unusual surgical challenges. As a result, for the residents and fellows in training, you can gain surgical insights and pearls that can only be gained through years of dealing with unusual clinical presentation, or problematic post-surgical complications.  As you may agree, it is often better to learn from other’s mistakes than your own if it can be avoided.

The content being provided are hand picked cases that were culminated during 14 years of repairing challenging surgical cases at tertiary referral hospitals in USA.  Aside from the lecture series designed to lay down basic concepts, the surgical cases that are being presented represent some of the most challenging initial reconstruction challenges or post-surgical complication cases with varying combination of patient factors that made the cases unusually more challenging to treat successfully.

Although there are surgical cases that would be of benefit to ENT, OMFS, and General Plastic Surgery residents and fellows, majority of more advanced, reconstruction cases are actually aimed to benefit attendings all over the world who may be facing unusual reconstruction challenges that they may have never seen before or may only see once every 3-5 years in their career.  The aim of this surgical atlas is to demonstrate how such challenging cases were addressed at the time, in hopes that it may offer helpful ideas and potential options that may be of benefit to other reconstruction surgeons.

The diversity of cases being presented is wide and extensive. It can range from a high velocity projectile trauma to the face or skull base to advanced head & neck cancer or skull base malignancy with exposed dura or spine and subsequent reconstruction.  There are also several post-radiation, free flap refinement cases that demonstrate application of cosmetic surgical techniques (i.e. flap debulking “neck lift” or abdominal fat grafting) that may be applied to head & neck cancer survivors to restore facial symmetry and resolve disfigurement issues surrounding tell-tale signs of head & neck free flaps.

Lastly, there are complex, surgical cases that required multiple specialties to work together to achieve optimal surgical outcome as the cases pushed the boundary of what one specialist would traditionally address.  The subspecialists involved in these surgical cases include facial plastic & reconstructive surgery, head & neck surgical oncology, rhinology, skull base, otology, neurosurgery, spine surgery, oral maxillofacial surgery, general plastic surgery, oculoplastic surgery and  cardiothoracic surgery.

Case report lectures typically include high-definition, intraoperative surgical videos that are shown in a first person point of view. The surgical videos may also include endoscopes, neuronavigation or operative microscope if it was used during the case.  We feel that seeing surgery from the visual perspective of the primary surgeon can be extremely helpful in subconscious learning and can simulate what a training surgeon may encounter when it becomes his/her own time to shine as the primary surgeon.

Along with the intraoperative surgical videos, preoperative imaging and preoperative analysis are included so that the viewers can review and make their own diagnosis and surgical planning.  In-depth discussion on different reconstruction options and the reason behind a particular treatment decision is explained.

In some cases, you will see both cancer resection or open skull base part of the case to see how you got to the defect in the first place depending on if Dr. Lee ended up doing the resection side of the surgery or purely the reconstruction side of the surgery involving the case. Aside from flap harvesting, and inset techniques, you will also see how to effectively perform advanced, head & neck cancer resection and open skull base surgical techniques.

The surgical videos are narrated by the surgeon(s) involved in the case and the important anatomic structures are highlighted on top of the images for viewers to clearly understand and follow what is going on in the surgery. This would be of huge benefit to junior residents who are starting to do more open neck cases.

The atlas is filled with custom made 3D anatomy images to further instill key surgical concepts.

Aside from the actual surgery, postoperative course as well as any major  multi-staged surgical procedures are also demonstrated to show multi-stage surgical approach to achieve optimal surgical outcome. 

The content being provided reflects much of what Dr. Lee sees in his practice.

This means that the current version of the surgical atlas does not contain surgical case series involving pediatric, craniofacial surgical cases (clefts, craniosynostosis cases, or pediatric airway).

We currently have plans to expand the content by working with other surgeons. We will notify when such content becomes available.

I believe all great surgeons are always open to learning new ways of doing things and never stop to evolve.

If you are a surgeon in training, you should perform the surgery as it is being taught by your supervising instructor.  Your goal is to perform the surgery as the way it is being taught by your instructor and understand why the supervising surgeon is recommending you to do things a certain way.  Good supervising surgeons will generally have a reason why they do things a particular way. You have to understand the reason why!

Your long term goal is to see and learn as many different ways of doing things during your surgical training so that when you graduate,  and you can decide for yourself what the best way of doing things are for you!

One day, you will be your own boss and have your own unique combination of techniques and methods that you have perfected from your own experience.

The techniques and surgical philosophy being mentioned in the surgical atlas are results of constant pursuit of refinement to achieve consistent surgical outcome while minimizing complications.  It is a demonstration of just one way of doing things when it was applied to a  particular patient that was unique for that patient and during that particular clinical course.

No two reconstruction cases are going to be exactly the same but the cases may carry some similarity and share cohesive, underlying surgical principles that may affect treatment options chosen. It is important to avoid universally applying the same technique to all situations. It is also important to remember to stay adaptable and change your treatment plan as things change based on your intraoperative findings.

One must become aware of the subtlety involved in the decision making that can lead to best surgical outcomes.  This will come with time as you gain more experience and confidence in your own surgical result. 

Yes, of course! We prioritize your satisfaction in the quality of the lectures and the surgical cases being offered.  If you are not satisfied with the service, please let us know why and you are allowed to cancel membership at any time with a written notice submitted via email.

For monthly subscribers, we will issue a full refund of the most recent month subscription fee paid from the day that the cancellation request has been made. If you are within 30 days of your monthly subscription starting, we will provide 100% refund.

If you have an annual subscription plan, we will issue a reimbursement for the remaining time on the annual subscription plus 30 day or one month from the time of written cancellation request. 

Please contact us and we can offer ways that you can gain access through your medical training institution’s direct subscription to our service.  You can request your teaching institution to subscribe to institutional subscription services that offers access for you as well as your colleagues in training so that your entire team can take your surgical training to the next level.

The content was designed with trainers in mind with the intent to teach key surgical concepts involved in complex reconstructive head & neck cases in the most concise, time-efficient manner possible by using enhanced multi-media experience. 

If you have severe economic hardship or if you live in areas outside of North America or Western Europe and cannot afford the subscription service, please reach out to us.

Please specify: 1) Your city and country in which you are practicing medicine, 2) Your current credentials, medical specialty and associated medical institution, 3) How you would benefit from this surgical training material, 4) What you will do with the information to positively impact and help your fellow human beings.

We can offer you a customized fee schedule to fit your budget.  Our mission is to enhance the surgical standards of facial reconstruction surgery outcomes across the globe and bring positive impact to the planet.   

Dr. Lee is currently an associate professor in the department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth Medical University and is a Director of Facial Trauma & Reconstruction division.  He is actively involved in training fellows and residents who are specializing in ENT, OMFS and General Plastic Surgery.  He won the best teacher of the year award from his otolaryngology residents in 2016 & 2017.

Dr. Lee is an otolaryngologist who has completed otolaryngology – head & neck surgery residency at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York and went on to complete a facial plastic & reconstructive fellowship under the guidance of Dr. Yadro Ducic in Dallas, Texas.  He has a medical degree from Stony Brook Medical Center in Stony Brook, New York.  He graduated with summa cum lade in psychology from SUNY Buffalo in New York.

He is currently dual board certified in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.   He is a current honorary member of Fellow of American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Lee is involved in research involving computational fluid dynamics of nasal airway and analyzing various factors to further optimize head & neck patients undergoing microvascular reconstruction. 

You can find his publications in the link below.  Current Publications

The numbers associated with every lecture signify the post graduate levels at which the viewer should ideally have already acquired/mastered the information.  Due to the senior author’s teaching background, it is in respect to surgical training in otolaryngology (ENT). 

For example, lectures in 100s are information that is expected to known by PGY1s and Medical Students rotating on ENT service. 

For surgical cases with lecture numbers associated provides general guideline for the surgical competency typically achieved by the PGY level.  For example, 500s signify cases that PGY5s would typically be able to perform with some supervision.  Cases with 700s designations are typically cases that may successfully be completed by attendings starting out post-fellowship.  800s are cases that would require previous experiences in similar cases and should be attempted by experienced attendings (4+ years out after fellowship). 900s signify joint cases that require multi-specialty experts to perform successfully. 

Lecture Numbers & ENT Surgical Training Level

100s =  Medical Students & PGY1

200s = PGY2

300s = PGY3

400s = PGY4

500s = PGY5

600s = Fellows

700s = Attending

800s = Experienced Attending

900s = Multi-Specialty Experienced Attendings Required