ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck study guide
ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck subspecialty certification is a multiple-choice examination for plastic surgeons who have built a practice around the head and neck - facial trauma, craniofacial and cleft care, head and neck oncology reconstruction, aesthetic facial surgery, cutaneous lesions, and facial nerve disorders. It is a subspecialty credential layered on top of core plastic surgery training, and it is aimed at surgeons who want their focused expertise documented rather than assumed. The ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck study guide has 10 sections and about 2,181 words.
01Head and Neck Anatomy and Wound Healing
A candidate must know the layered anatomy of the face (skin, subcutaneous fat, superficial musculoaponeurotic system, deep fascia, muscle, periosteum), the named vascular pedicles used in local flaps (supratrochlear, supraorbital, superficial temporal, facial, submental), and the danger zones where dissection threatens named nerves. Wound healing in the head and neck is privileged by rich vascularity yet complicated by tension, sebaceous skin, and hair-bearing areas.
283 words, about 1 min02Facial Trauma and Reconstruction
Understand the Le Fort classification, zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture patterns, orbital floor blowout mechanics, mandibular fracture zones and the course of the inferior alveolar nerve, and the sequencing of airway, hemorrhage control, and vision assessment. Know when to observe versus fixate, and the role of CT imaging.
250 words, about 1 min03Craniofacial Surgery and Congenital Anomalies
Know craniosynostosis syndromes (Apert, Crouzon, Pfeiffer), the difference between suture fusion and positional molding, timing of cranial vault remodeling, and the principles of distraction osteogenesis. Understand fronto-orbital advancement and the role of intracranial pressure monitoring.
212 words, about 1 min04Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery
Master nodal levels I-VI, the relationship of the facial nerve to the parotid, and the principles of neck dissection (radical, modified, selective). Understand margin assessment, sentinel node biopsy indications, and reconstructive ladder from local flaps to free tissue transfer (radial forearm, fibula, anterolateral thigh).
258 words, about 1 min05Aesthetic Surgery of the Face and Neck
Understand facial aging in layers (skin, fat compartments, SMAS, bone), rhytidectomy planes (subcutaneous, SMAS, deep plane), neck rejuvenation (platysmaplasty, submental lipectomy), and the aesthetic units of the face. Know filler and neuromodulator anatomy and danger zones.
205 words, about 1 min06Cutaneous Malignancies and Soft Tissue Lesions of the Head and Neck
Know basal cell carcinoma subtypes, squamous cell carcinoma risk factors and perineural invasion, melanoma Breslow depth and sentinel node indications, and benign lesions (epidermoid cyst, pilomatrixoma, pyogenic granuloma). Understand Mohs indications and margin principles.
199 words, under 1 min07Facial Nerve and Cranial Nerve Disorders
Know the facial nerve's course through the temporal bone and its branches, the House-Brackmann grading scale, and the difference between upper and lower motor neuron lesions. Understand Bell palsy management, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and traumatic facial nerve injury timing.
210 words, about 1 min08Cleft Lip and Palate and Craniofacial Syndromes
Understand the embryology of lip and palate fusion, the rule of tens for cleft lip timing, and the sequencing of cleft care (lip repair, palate repair, alveolar bone graft, orthodontics, speech surgery). Know Pierre Robin sequence and 22q11.2 deletion.
190 words, under 1 min09Patient Safety, Anesthesia, and Perioperative Management
Know airway assessment (Mallampati, thyromental distance), difficult airway algorithms, VTE prophylaxis, surgical site infection prevention, and local anesthetic maximum doses. Understand fire safety in the operating room and positioning injuries.
206 words, about 1 min10Ethics and Professionalism
Understand informed consent elements, capacity assessment, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and appropriate boundaries. Know how to handle medical errors and disclosure, and the principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice.
168 words, under 1 min