Aaron Mason

Interests

Research

Artificial intelligence in craniofacial surgeryDevelopment of craniofacial registryDevelopment of breast reconstruction registry

Teaching

Residency Program development and management

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Mason, A. (2004). Handbook of Plastic Surgery. In Handbook of Plastic Surgery(pp 311-313). New York, NY: Marcel Dekker.
• Mason, A., Bentz, M., & Losken, W. (2002). Craniofacial Syndromes. In Zitelli BJ and Davis HW (Eds.), The Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis(pp 867-887). Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier.

Journals/Publications

• Mason, A., C, B., A, K., A, A., & T, N. (2022). Atypical PIK3CA positive hemangioma refractory to propranolol. J Vasc Anom, 3(3), 2-5.
• Mason, A. (2022). Large dermoid fibromatosis of the breast invading the chest wall. ACS Case Reviews in Surgery, 3(4), 26-29.
• Andrews, M., Allen, G., Alexander, A., French, B., Wilkinson, C., & Mason, A. (2021). Evolution of a Virtual Multidisciplinary Cleft and Craniofacial Team Clinic During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Children's Hospital Colorado Experience. The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, 58(5), 653-657.
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  Multidisciplinary care in the era of COVID mitigation presented a unique opportunity to evolve a multidisciplinary Telehealth experience at the Children's Hospital Colorado. We describe our experience in developing unique programming to remain in compliance with an experience as recommended by the Parameters of Care while integrating information technology accessible via the electronic health record, multimedia adjuncts, and the integration of multiple institutional participants in creating a platform to offer care via Telehealth. Visit structure, planning, implementation, and advantages and disadvantages of the programming are discussed.
• Derderian, C. K., Derderian, C. A., Fernandez, A., Glover, C. D., Goobie, S., Hansen, J. K., King, M., Kugler, J., Lang, S. S., Meier-Haran, P., Nelson, O., Reddy, S. K., Reid, R., Ricketts, K., Rottgers, S. A., Singh, D., Szmuk, P., Taicher, B. M., Taylor, J., & Stricker, P. A. (2021). The Pediatric Craniofacial Collaborative Group (PCCG) Consensus Conference Methodology. Paediatric anaesthesia, 31(2), 145-149.
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  This article describes the methodology used for the Pediatric Craniofacial Collaborative Group (PCCG) Consensus Conference.
• Jalali, A., Lonsdale, H., Zamora, L. V., Ahumada, L., Nguyen, A. T., Rehman, M., Fackler, J., Stricker, P. A., Fernandez, A. M., & , P. C. (2021). Machine Learning Applied to Registry Data: Development of a Patient-Specific Prediction Model for Blood Transfusion Requirements During Craniofacial Surgery Using the Pediatric Craniofacial Perioperative Registry Dataset. Anesthesia and analgesia, 132(1), 160-171.
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  Craniosynostosis is the premature fusion of ≥1 cranial sutures and often requires surgical intervention. Surgery may involve extensive osteotomies, which can lead to substantial blood loss. Currently, there are no consensus recommendations for guiding blood conservation or transfusion in this patient population. The aim of this study is to develop a machine-learning model to predict blood product transfusion requirements for individual pediatric patients undergoing craniofacial surgery.
• Mason, A. (2021). Admission to the regular ward is safe following uncomplicated craniosynostosis surgery: a retrospective study. FACE, 2, 1-11.
• Mason, A. (2021). Recurrent rhabdomyomatous mesenchymal hamartoma: an uncommon benign lesion. J Ped Surg Case Rep.
• Hardy, K. M., Mullens, C. L., & Mason, A. C. (2020). Assessing State Variation in Plastic Surgeons' Risk of Hepatitis C Exposure: Revisit in Methodology. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 8(10), e3220.
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  As the national opioid epidemic escalates, rates of the Hepatitis C (HCV) infection have similarly risen. Surgeons exposed intraoperatively secondary to sharp instrument or needle-sticks are affected both socioeconomically and physically. Current treatment strategies involve antiretroviral agents that have not been universally available. This study evaluates the current risk of surgeon exposure to HCV.
• James, S. L., Castle, C. D., Dingels, Z. V., Fox, J. T., Hamilton, E. B., Liu, Z., S Roberts, N. L., Sylte, D. O., Henry, N. J., LeGrand, K. E., Abdelalim, A., Abdoli, A., Abdollahpour, I., Abdulkader, R. S., Abedi, A., Abosetugn, A. E., Abushouk, A. I., Adebayo, O. M., Agudelo-Botero, M., , Ahmad, T., et al. (2020). Global injury morbidity and mortality from 1990 to 2017: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Injury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention, 26(Supp 1), i96-i114.
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  Past research in population health trends has shown that injuries form a substantial burden of population health loss. Regular updates to injury burden assessments are critical. We report Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 Study estimates on morbidity and mortality for all injuries.
• Fernandez, A. M., Reddy, S. K., Gordish-Dressman, H., Muldowney, B. L., Martinez, J. L., Chiao, F., Stricker, P. A., & , P. C. (2019). Perioperative Outcomes and Surgical Case Volume in Pediatric Complex Cranial Vault Reconstruction: A Multicenter Observational Study From the Pediatric Craniofacial Collaborative Group. Anesthesia and analgesia, 129(4), 1069-1078.
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  Complex cranial vault reconstruction (CCVR) performed to treat craniosynostosis can be associated with significant blood loss, transfusion, and perioperative complications. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of CCVR surgical case volume on perioperative outcomes. We hypothesized that surgical case volume is not associated with differences in perioperative outcomes. The study primary outcome was total perioperative blood donor exposures. Secondary outcomes included the total perioperative transfusion volume, major complications, and intensive care unit and hospital length of stay.
• Thompson, D. R., Zurakowski, D., Haberkern, C. M., Stricker, P. A., Meier, P. M., Bannister, C., Benzon, H., Binstock, W., Bosenberg, A., Brzenski, A., Budac, S., Busso, V., Capehart, S., Chiao, F., Cladis, F., Collins, M., Cusick, J., Dabek, R., Dalesio, N., , Falcon, R., et al. (2018). Endoscopic Versus Open Repair for Craniosynostosis in Infants Using Propensity Score Matching to Compare Outcomes: A Multicenter Study from the Pediatric Craniofacial Collaborative Group. Anesthesia and analgesia, 126(3), 968-975.
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  The North American Pediatric Craniofacial Collaborative Group (PCCG) established the Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery Perioperative Registry to evaluate outcomes in infants and children undergoing craniosynostosis repair. The goal of this multicenter study was to utilize this registry to assess differences in blood utilization, intensive care unit (ICU) utilization, duration of hospitalization, and perioperative complications between endoscopic-assisted (ESC) and open repair in infants with craniosynostosis. We hypothesized that advantages of ESC from single-center studies would be validated based on combined data from a large multicenter registry.
• Radwan, W., Lucke Wold, B. P., Mason, A., Tarabishy, A., & Serrano, C. A. (2017). Unilateral Frontosphenoid Craniosynostosis: Case Report and a Review of the Literature. Neurology (E-Cronicon), 4(3), 80-83.
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  Plagiocephaly is a common condition that affects infants. It can be broadly grouped into positional and non positional plagiocephaly Positional plagiocephaly frequently resolves without intervention. Non positional plagiocephaly resulting from craniosynostosis often requires surgical intervention. In this case report, we present a rare case of unilateral frontosphenoid craniosynostosis. We discuss the appropriate diagnostic workup, the available treatment options, and patient follow-up over time. Furthermore, we provide a detailed review of the literature discussing treatment options for aesthetic appearance as the child ages.
• Tholpady, S. S., Aojanepong, C., Llull, R., Jeong, J. H., Mason, A. C., Futrell, J. W., Ogle, R. C., & Katz, A. J. (2005). The cellular plasticity of human adipocytes. Annals of plastic surgery, 54(6), 651-6.
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  Little is known regarding the biology of fat considering its extensive use clinically in soft tissue implantation. Free-fat transfer is problematic the result of graft site volume loss, appearing histologically as the replacement of mature adipocytes with a fibroblast-like infiltrate. We hypothesize that these histologic changes reflect a dedifferentiation of ischemic mature adipocytes instead of, or in addition to, a more traditional response. To explore this hypothesis, we studied the in vitro morphologic changes of cultured mature human adipocytes isolated from liposuctioned adipose tissue. Most adipocytes over time lost significant amounts of intracellular lipid. Ultimately, these cells lost all lipid, appeared fibroblastic, and proliferated to confluence. Adipogenic induction of such dedifferentiated adipocytes resulted in reaccumulation of intracellular lipid. This study demonstrates that mature adipocytes can be cultured from human liposuctioned fat, they can dedifferentiate into fibroblastic cells, and the fibroblast-like cells can be expanded and turned into lipid-synthesizing adipocytes. Exploration of this cellular plasticity might ultimately yield important insights into free-fat transfer and novel tissue-engineering strategies.
• Weinfeld, A. B., Davison, S. P., Mason, A. C., Manders, E. K., & Russavage, J. M. (2000). Management of alcohol withdrawal in microvascular head and neck reconstruction. Journal of reconstructive microsurgery, 16(3), 201-6.
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  Alcohol use is a risk factor for head and neck cancer. One of the primary therapeutic modalities is surgical tumor ablation followed by immediate reconstruction. Such therapy places patients in a controlled environment, without alcohol, creating the risk of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The authors attempted to identify the incidence of alcohol withdrawal among patients undergoing free-flap reconstruction for head and neck cancer and were interested in the effect of alcohol withdrawal on the postoperative course of affected patients. In this retrospective review of 51 patients, six experienced alcohol withdrawal or delirium tremens. No difference in the rate of overall complications was seen between the patients who experienced withdrawal and those who did not, although patients who experienced withdrawal did have a statistically significant ratio of non-flap-related to flap-related complications. A review of the current management for alcohol withdrawal is included and places an emphasis on preoperative screening, close observation, rapid diagnosis, and immediate medical care.
• Mason, A. C., Davison, S. P., & Manders, E. K. (1999). Tissue expander infections in children: look beyond the expander pocket. Annals of plastic surgery, 43(5), 539-41.
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  Infection of the expander pocket is the most common complication encountered with soft-tissue expansion. It is usually due to direct inoculation with skin flora either at the time of expander insertion or from extrusion of the device. The authors report two cases of infection of tissue expanders in which the children had concomitant infected sites distant from the prosthesis. Etiological bacteria of common pediatric infections like otitis media and pharyngitis were cultured from the infected expander pocket, raising suspicion that translocation of the organism to the expander had occurred. Aggressive antibiotic treatment, removal of the prosthesis, and flap advancement is advocated.

Other Teaching Materials

• Mason, A. (2024. Burn Care in Developing Nations. West Virginia University.
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  A webinar in the Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler's Health Course at West Virginia University