07/06/2025
In the early days of our surgical journey, we often find ourselves drawn to the 'hero moments'—those intense, adrenaline-filled instances during a procedure where everything hangs in the balance, and skill shines through.
But with time, experience, and a few grey hairs, our definition of fulfillment evolves.
The true satisfaction begins to come not from the dramatic, but from the quiet reassurance of a long-term follow-up—when the patient walks in with a smile, healed and healthy. It’s in those moments we realize that every careful, deliberate step taken during surgery mattered. That precision, patience, and planning paid off.
A great follow-up is never an accident. It silently echoes the fact that the procedure was performed with diligence, integrity, and up to the standards our patients deserve.
And in that, we find a different kind of heroism—one that is quieter, humbler, and far more lasting.
Sharing one such case that reminds me of this journey—
A patient diagnosed with Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) underwent planned surgical management: bilateral fibrotomy, extraction of all four third molars, bilateral coronoidectomy, and bilateral nasolabial flap reconstruction.
The later images are from the 8-month follow-up, showing:
Mouth opening within normal limits
Partial mucosalization of the nasolabial flap
Significant reduction in facial hair growth over the flap region.
