The social effects of craniofacial deformity and its correction.

A survey of our first 50 patients having craniofacial surgery was done. An attempt was made to determine the impact of facial deformity on social function for both the patient and his family and how function was altered by surgical correction. This was accomplished by a uniform series of questions. All patients were at least one year postoperative. The results emphasize that facial deformity played a dominant role in patients' lives prior to surgery and that surgical intervention led to improved social functioning in a number of areas. Meaningful data was collected on three groups of patients: 11 adults, 18 adolescents, and 17 children. Changes perceived were strikingly different in the three groups. Eight-seven percent of all patients would make the decision to have surgery again, and at least 50 percent had objective evidence of improved function. However, the survey also suggests that the extreme stress produced by the treatment may create family problems for which support is necessary.