Collection
Craniofacial & Cleft Care Essentials
Educational content from recorded physician discussions — not medical advice. Always talk to your child's care team about your child's situation.
Content of this collection
The surgical steps involved exposing the forehead, exposing the defect, amputating the tissue, preserving the normal brain, and reconstructing the normal layers or barriers which had not formed. — Charles Stevenson, A new face for Zakary | Cincinnati Children's · 1:49
Surgical Journey Stories1 item
A new face for Zakary | Cincinnati Children's
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video3:01 · Jun 2026
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A new face for Zakary | Cincinnati Children's
A fetal MRI detected an encephalocele midway through Velika Riegel's pregnancy.
Host summaryThe host summarizes what Dr. Velika Riegel said — not the host's own clinical position0:15
Zachary had a large opening in the bone between his eyes through which tissue escaped.
Until Zachary was born, it was unknown whether the encephalocele was cancerous.
Dr. Charles Stevenson knew following delivery that complex reconstruction of the face and nasal bridge would be required.
Charles Stevenson0:47
Dr. Stevenson consulted Dr. Hector Pan because complex facial reconstruction would be needed.
Charles Stevenson0:47
The surgeons had seen a case like this only once before.
Zachary was delivered December 29th, 2016.
At birth, the growth covered from Zachary's eyes down to his mouth; only a little mouth was visible.
Velika Riegel1:25
Zachary needed a feeding tube and supplemental oxygen.
Zachary spent 4.5 months in newborn intensive care at Cincinnati Children's before he grew enough to have the operation.
The surgical steps involved exposing the forehead, exposing the defect, amputating the tissue, preserving the normal brain, and reconstructing the normal layers or barriers which had not formed.
Charles Stevenson1:49
The operation was successful and the tissue was found not to be a cancerous tumor.
Zachary and Velika moved to the area to be closer to Cincinnati Children's.
