"What you see here is not a finished nose," said Dr. Kongkrit Chaiyasate, of Beaumont's Craniofacial Clinic at at press conference at William Beaumont Hospital on Wednesday. Chaiyasate completed the first stage of reconstruction of the inside, or the structure, of 10-year-old Charlotte Ponce's nose.

Chaiyasate and his surgical team took tissue with a blood supply from Charlotte’s forearm to create a lining for her nose. In about two months, she’ll return for a second procedure. The surgical team will take tissue from her forehead to create the exterior of her nose.

Patient was disfigured by raccoon

The Spring Lake MI girl's nose was eaten off by a raccoon when she was was 3 and a half months, after her birth mother laid her down for a nap with a bottle and then left her unattended.

"It was a hot day - 90 degrees outside," said Tim Ponce, Charlotte's adoptive father. "The raccoon was a pet and was probably looking for a place to cool off. Somehow the raccoon got inside her room and ate her ear, nose, and the side of her face. She probably had milk on her face and you know how animals are."

The time is right

Chaiyasate said the time is right for Charlotte to have facial reconstruction, before she reaches puberty. "You know how middle school kids are," he said. 

The young girl will most likely need additional surgery in adulthood, but for now, at 10, her mid-face has stopped growing. Just her jaw will continue to grow, Chaiyasate said.

Over the next two years, the surgical team lead by Chaiyasate, will reconstruct her nose, lip and ear.

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