12/05/07

John Reinisch, MD, and his colleague Sheryl Lewin, MD, have joined the Cedars-Sinai Medical Group to  provide corrective and aesthetic surgery to children and adults.

Reinisch, director of craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, has been in practice for more than 25 years. He has pioneered corrective surgery for children with microtia, a congenital ear deformity that can affect hearing. Reinisch, who has performed the surgery on children around the world, uses a porous plastic framework covered with tissue and skin to shape a new ear. This surgery can provide a child as young as age 3 with a natural appearing ear compared to a previous technique which must be performed on older children and involves harvesting rib cartilage to shape the ear. Reinisch also performs reconstructive surgery for young patients with large or complex vascular and pigmented birthmarks.

Reinisch and Lewin, associate director of craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, specialize in cleft lip and palate correction, hemangioma (vascular tumors) removal, and nevi (pigmented birthmarks) reconstruction for children. The surgeons will also perform breast surgery, facial rejuvenation, nasal reshaping, and abdominoplasty for adults.

"For surgeries on children with tiny features and delicate skin, our technique is very refined; we use tiny sutures so that scarring and discomfort is minimized," says Reinisch. "We use this same approach when treating our adult patients, which we believe is a real benefit to them."

Reinisch was formerly at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles (CHLA), where he established the division of plastic surgery in 1983. He also served as the chief of the division of plastic surgery at CHLA and head of the division of plastic surgery at USC Medical Center. Board certified since 1980, Reinisch received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Michigan and Tulane University, and his plastic surgery fellowship at the University of Virginia.

Lewin is board certified in plastic surgery and received her medical degree from Stanford University. She did her plastic surgery residency at USC and obtained specialized fellowship training at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.

[www.medicalnewstoday.com, December 5, 2007]