Chins are looking up for Alan.. BRAVE TEEN HAS FACE OP.

Byline: By MICHELLE O'KEEFFE

BRAVE Alan Doherty awoke yesterday after coming through the first stage of a pioneering operation to give him a new chin.

His doctors in New York said the procedure on the Irish teenager had taken less time than expected and was a great success.

Alan, 17, from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, is one of only two people known to have the condition otofacial syndrome.

Plastic surgeon Dr Elliott Rose said: "The first surgery went beautifully. We are thrilled that it was so successful.

"Alan will probably spend four or five days in the hospital."

The surgeons hope to perform the next operation in October or November.

Alan, who cannot speak, eat, or breathe without assistance, went under the knife at the Mount Sinai Medical Centre on Monday.

Before the procedure, Alan, who communicates by typing messages on a keyboard, said: "People are always staring at me which I don't like, but I am used to it."

He added that he hoped to get "a perfect chin" out of the operations.

Doctors at the hospital plan to use a piece of Alan's hip bone as a replacement for his lower jaw.

Reconstructive surgeons moved the bone to his back during Monday's procedure where it will be nourished and will gather nerves. The bone will be moved to his face during a later operation.

Reconstructive surgery of this kind has never been attempted before.

The idea for the operations came about when Alan visited the US last year to take part in athletic games organised by the Physically Challenged Irish and American Youth Team.

Team director Bill Broderick said that he had asked Alan if he wanted anything while he was in America, and the teen said, "Mr Broderick, can you get me a face?"

Mr Broderick took Alan to the Park Avenue practice of reconstructive specialist Dr Rose.

Using CT scans and 3D imaging, Dr Rose showed what his face would look like if it were to be rebuilt.

Dr Rose is leading a team of surgeons that will work to rebuild Alan's face.

The surgeon added: "This is a rare procedure. It's only been done a handful of times. But the approach we're taking is unique in that it's both a high-tech and multi-speciality approach.

"I'm a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

"We have Dr Taub, who is a facial surgeon, and Dr Greenberg is an oral surgeon."

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CAPTION(S):

SUCCESS: Alan Doherty's first operation went well; SURGERY: Mount Sinai Centre