Plastic Surgery Restores Toms River Man’s Physical and Emotional Well-being

When Ed Russell, 61, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on his head in 2021, he was understandably worried for his health. The Toms River resident turned to doctors at a nearby hospital where he’d been treated successfully for prostate cancer in the past. Unfortunately, treatment for this new cancer left Ed with an unexpected disfigurement.

“They cured the cancer, but the surgery and the radiation left quite a disfigurement on my head,” says Ed, who was not prepared for the change in his appearance.

Surgery to remove his cancer required removing a large section of his scalp, which surgeons repaired with tissue taken from the front of his scalp. This area was then covered using a skin graft from his thigh. The process left Ed with a very visible crater in the front of his head.

“It was terrible because I would scare little kids if I had my hat off,” Ed recalls. “And when I talked to people, that's all they ever looked at. No one was looking at me in the eyes—it was always on the top of my head.” This took a mental toll on Ed.

His medical team told him they couldn’t do anything to fix the disfigurement. A second doctor agreed. Just as Ed was losing hope, a colleague recommended Negin Griffith, M.D., F.A.C.S., a board-certified reconstructive plastic surgeon at Riverview Medical Center.

Preparing for Complicated Plastic Surgery

At their first meeting, Dr. Griffith listened to Ed’s story and how this distressing disfigurement was affecting his well-being.

“I thought that I could help him. There's really nothing more gratifying than taking a problem that looks and feels unfixable and fixing it,” says Dr. Griffith.

A complicated reconstruction like this required careful analysis and planning. A few weeks later, Ed returned for a second appointment so Dr. Griffith could present her plan to him and his wife, Ann.

“Dr. Griffith explained the whole thing to us in great detail so that we understood not only what the process was going to be but also what the risks are,” says Ed, who says he “literally cried” when Dr. Griffith said she could help him.

Dr. Griffith surgically inserted three tissue expanders—similar to empty balloons—under Ed’s scalp. Every week for several months, she injected small amounts of saline into the expanders, gradually stretching the tissue.

“It was funny looking for those months, but it didn’t hurt at all,” says Ed.

Long-awaited Reconstructive Results

After the tissue had expanded enough, Ed underwent a second surgery to complete the reconstruction. “You don't know what you're going to get and how the tissue will move until you get in there. I took all the tissue expanders out, and it gave me a lot of extra scalp with which to work to cover the defect. It was a pretty quick and straightforward operation once I saw I had what I needed. The planning and the placement of the tissue expanders were really the most challenging parts,” says Dr. Griffith.

Now, the crater is gone, with only a minor scar left in its place.

Ed’s journey to a full recovery—one that encompassed his physical, emotional, and mental health—was long but worth it. He’s regained his confidence and is back to enjoying his life, including playing guitar and singing in an Irish band.

“Cases like this are why people like me go into plastic surgery. I think most doctors, at the end of their careers, have a dozen or so patients whom we remember forever. For me, Ed will definitely be one of those. I think I may have gotten more out of doing this operation than he did,” says Dr. Griffith.

Next Steps & Resources

• Meet our source: Negin Griffith, M.D., F.A.C.S.
• To make an appointment with a reconstructive plastic surgeon near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.