Hemihyperplasia, also known as overgrowth syndrome, is a rare condition where one side of the face or body grows faster than the other. This typically results in a face that is misshapen or oblong and can cause vision, hearing, speaking, and eating problems due to the unnatural facial alignment. Hemihyperplasia also affects the bones, muscles, and nerves on the overgrown side of the face, which can lead to functional problems.
In nearly all known cases, hemihyperplasia is congenital and stems from chromosomal abnormalities that are present at birth. However, what causes these abnormalities in the first place is often unknown. As such, there also is no known cure for hemihyperplasia, only treatments that can reverse the damage it causes. Unfortunately, because there is no concrete way to diagnose hemihyperplasia, the condition is often misdiagnosed, which can lead to incorrect treatments.
While there is no cure for hemihyperplasia, there are treatments that can reverse its damaging effects. However, you will need to wait until hemihyperplasia stagnates because corrective surgery will be negated if one side of the face continues to grow faster than the other. Therefore, properly treating hemihyperplasia requires ongoing monitoring and regular checkups.
Once your child’s hemihyperplasia is no longer progressing, fat removal and transfer is one of the most common ways to treat it. Fat removal and transfer involve several steps. First, fat is removed from the damaged part of the face, as degraded fat can contribute to hemihyperplasia. Next, healthy fat is removed from another part of the body, cleaned, and inserted into the part of the face where fat was originally removed from.
Conversely, depending on the circumstances, excess fat is simply removed from the overgrown side of the face and disposed of. Removing this excess fat can give the face a normal appearance and relieve pressure on the facial nerves and muscles.
In addition to fat removal and transferring, it will also be necessary to perform skin grafts on the affected areas. Skin grafts are necessary following fat removal, otherwise the skin will appear baggy and saggy. In instances where fat is added to the other side of the face, skin grafts may also be necessary due to the expanded area.
Finally, there is a good chance that your child will need one or more facial reconstruction procedures. Facial reconstruction is necessary when one side of the face is made larger or smaller than it was originally. This can include simple procedures, such as a face or brow lift, or more complex ones such as bone and muscle grafts, depending on how extensive the damage from hemihyperplasia is.
Reconstructive surgery may also be necessary to maintain functioning of the facial muscles and nerves. This is necessary when the bones, muscles, and nerves do not work properly because they are overgrown and malformed.
While reconstructive surgery for craniofacial hemihyperplasia is major, it is not as major as with hemihyperplasia in other parts of the body. When the legs, arms, or internal organs are overgrown, surgery is more comprehensive and the risk for complications is higher.
Hemihyperplasia is a frightening and confusing condition for both parents and children alike. It is frightening for the parent, because they can tell something is wrong but they do not know what, and it is frightening and confusing for children because they know they are different but there is nothing they can do about it.
Therefore, to help your child live a mostly normal and full life, it is important to have hemihyperplasia diagnosed and treated as promptly as possible. This may also help prevent specialized forms of liver and kidney cancer that are known to be part of hemihyperplasia.