Arshad R. Muzaffar, MD, Director
- Board Certified American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Fellowship training in Craniofacial Surgery,
- Certificate of Added Qualification in Surgery of the Hand, Member of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal
- Editor in Chief of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal
- Training at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (in hand surgery); many children with craniofacial anomalies also have hand/upper extremity anomalies, and Dr. Muzaffar is trained to treat both the craniofacial and hand problems—the child only has to have one surgeon.
Phone: (573) 882-2275
E-mail: muzaffara@health.missouri.edu
Education:
- Fellowships: University of Texas Southwestern, Hand/Microsurgery, 2000-01. University of Washington, Craniofacial Surgery, 2001-02.
- Residency: University of Texas Southwestern, General Surgery, 1995-98; Plastic Surgery, 1998-2000.
- M.D. Degree: Yale University, 1995.
- Board Certified: Plastic Surgery, 2003.
- Board Certified: Hand Surgery, 2004.
Clinical Interests:
- Congenital hand surgery
- Cleft lip and palate surgery
- Craniofacial surgery
- Microsurgery
- Aesthetic surgery, especially rhinoplasty
Research Interests:
- Developmental biology of congenital upper extremity and craniofacial anomalies
- Outcome studies in cleft lip and palate
- Thumb hypoplasia
- Anatomic basis of surgical approaches in aesthetic surgery
Selected Publications:
- Muzaffar AR, Byrd HS, Rohrich RJ, et al. The incidence of cleft palate fistula: an institutional experience with two-stage palatal repair. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 108:1515, 2001.
- Muzaffar AR, Mendelson BC, Adams WP Jr. Surgical anatomy of the ligamentous attachments of the lower lid and lateral canthus. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 110:873, 2002.
- Rohrich RJ, Muzaffar AR. Primary Rhinoplasty. In Plastic Surgery: Indications, Operations, Outcomes. B.M. Achauer, E. Eriksson, B. Guyuron, et al, (eds.), Philadelphia: Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 2000
Treatment Philosophy
The core concept behind Dr. Muzaffar's approach to treating his patients is to be first and foremost a good doctor. He believes firmly that it is impossible to offer world-class plastic surgical care without first being a physician who considers the patient as a whole and who can take the time to truly listen to the concerns of his patients and their families.
Treating children requires a special approach. Dr. Muzaffar believes in treating each child as an individual, taking the time to get to know the child and his family and to make them feel comfortable. Often, the parents of children with congenital anomalies feel a considerable amount of anxiety, and one of the key roles of the plastic surgeon is to alleviate some of this anxiety by compassionately and clearly explaining to the parents their child's diagnosis and what to expect in the coming months and years. Patients and their families usually feel much more comfortable and secure once they have been provided with this sort of information by their plastic surgeon.
Dr. Muzaffar believes that the best treatment outcomes come from the combination of surgical excellence with a compassionate and individualized approach to each patient. Guided by this philosophy, he will strive to achieve the very best results for your child.
