Despite decades of progress, diagnosing and treating nerve injuries remains a challenge for many oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Today we take a deep dive into the subject as we speak with experienced nerve microsurgeon, Dr. John Zuniga. After chatting about his professional background, we ask John how he developed his expertise in treating nerve injuries. In answering, he shares a roadmap to success that all upcoming surgeons should follow. While unpacking details about his practice, we touch on the improvements that John has seen in the field, including innovations such as nerve allografts. We then discuss the checklist that John uses when determining if a patient requires surgery. Reflecting on the difficulties surrounding nerve injuries, we talk about treatment and diagnostic limitations. Later, we focus our conversation on how John performs nerve damage surgery, with John providing added details on caring for patients with trigeminal neuralgia. We wrap up our discussion as John shares some final pearls of wisdom related to treating nerve pain, as well as dealing with damage caused by past surgeries. Tune in to benefit from his insights.
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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
UT Southwestern Medical Center