News Releases

Daniel Recovering Following Facial Reconstruction Surgery at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital

Houston, Texas, June 2, 2006 – Four-year-old Daniel Wachira, the Kenyan child who was attacked by a dog as an infant and brought to the U.S. for surgery by Feed The Children, is in fair condition this morning as he recovers from his first procedure at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital.

From left to right:  Michael J. Miller, M.D. and Sean Boutros, M.D.

During an 11½ -hour surgery yesterday, pediatric plastic surgeon Sean Boutros, M.D., who is on staff at Children’s Memorial Hermann, and microvascular surgeon Michael J. Miller, M.D., of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, transplanted tissue from Daniel’s back to rebuild his cheek.  In addition, they implanted a pin and screw device to correct the deformity of his jawbone.

Daniel is expected to remain in the pediatric intensive care unit throughout the day as physicians closely monitor the blood flow into and out of the skin flap. He will spend about a week in Children’s Memorial Hermann and will be in Houston another 10-15 days while the jaw expander is being adjusted daily.

When Daniel was attacked by the dog, he lost his left ear and the soft tissue of his left cheek, the corner of his mouth and significant portions of his lips. Scar tissue from his injury and initial skin grafts have distorted his eyelid, pulling it downward. This scar tissue also has restricted normal growth of his jawbone. The scar on the corner of his mouth makes it impossible to articulate words clearly. He also can’t eat certain foods.

“It was important to start these surgeries before Daniel experienced the normal growth spurt between the ages of 5 and 7, because the scar tissue would have worsened the deformity,” Dr. Boutros explained. “Also, Daniel is beginning to realize that he looks different from other children, and we want him to be able to look in the mirror without thinking his face is ‘broken,’ as he describes it today.”

He will require a series of surgeries over the next several years to overcome speech and eating difficulties and to achieve a more normal appearance. The physicians and hospital are providing their services free of charge.

Todd Price, M.D., an infectious disease physician practicing at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital, was instrumental in recruiting the surgeons for the procedure. Dr. Price has for years performed medical mission work with organizations including Feed The Children, which brought Daniel to the United States.

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