Thread: Medical Question: Facial Surgery

Hello again, all.

I'm writing a chapter that contains a botched facial surgery. Only problem is, this chapter takes place during the 1800's in the Wild West, and I have no idea what reasons they'd have to do facial surgery during that period. Whatever it is, it has to have potential to (if not done correctly) damage nerves, such as to leave facial disfigurement.

I've tried googling this, but all I get is plastic surgery links.

Anyone have any ideas? I'd be very appreciative.

- Kyle

What does ‘the reason for the surgery’ have to do with a potential for disfigurement? That makes no sense.

The reason for the surgery could be to treat a gun-shot wound, or the damage done by a kick from a horse, or a previously-untreated boil, or bad scars left after a case of smallpox, or just about anything. It’s got nothing to do with potential for disfigurement.

And although I’m no surgeon, I wonder whether nerve damage per se would necessarily cause disfigurement. I’d guess that disfigurement would more likely be caused by the botched surgery you mention. Perhaps your phrase 'nerve damage' was a misnomer.

I really think you need to spend more time deciding on the bones of your story (pun not intended), thinking through how one thing might lead to another, and getting creative yourself, i,e., making it up. Read up on modern-day surgical botch-ups and move the details to the Wild West.

I might add that if I were writing a story set in the 19th Century - as it happens, I am - and needed to include something along the lines you've mentioned, I have little doubt I could make something up that would satisfy the reader. And if a doofus like me can do it, anybody can.

Face/Off with the final fight on a stagecoach instead of a speedboat. Do it, you won't.

Originally Posted by paintedglasses

Do it, you won't.

Every once in a while I am sufficiently blessed by good fortune that I stumble across a highly significant post such as this, and thereby make myself deeply grateful I decided to register for membership of this site.

My fault, all. I probably wasn't clear. I was looking for a reason to do facial surgery other than a trauma of some sort. Something more, Idunno, routine.

But, after doing a bit more research, I just went with your advice, Ox. Basically, his wagon was attacked by Crow's, and he hit his head. They had to do a field trepanation (a common practice) to save his life, but, either because of infection or they nicked something (they're not sure), there was nerve damage to half his face. Almost like a stroke-type disfigurement.

Probably unlikely, but hey, that's why we become writers, right?

Thankya kindly.

As the average reader, I'd buy a trepanning gone wrong as the reason half a face is drooping. I've read it (or something similar) a few times (Such as in Wilbur Smith's River God) so I'd be willing to nod my head and move on to the rest of the story.

Thank you, Idle. It's good to know it works, for now.

As I was reading the above posts, I was thinking of the character being in a fight and getting hit in the face with a pistol grip or something like that.