Dr. Brissett Returns to Ukraine to Treat War Zone Traumas

Anthony Brissett, MD, FACS, one of the nation’s leading facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons, recently returned to Ukraine for his third mission trip since the war began in 2022. Accompanied by a team of 19 healthcare professionals from the U.S. and Canada, Dr. Brissett brought life-changing surgical expertise to one of the world’s most volatile conflict zones. “The war continues to grind on and the casualties continue to increase,” said Dr. Brissett, professor and vice chair of Houston Methodist Hospital’s Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and division chief of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “The severity of these injuries is extensive, primarily due to the blast nature of the soldiers’ injuries.”

Working in operating rooms with limited resources and under the intense demands of trauma care, the team performs advanced reconstructive procedures, often utilizing custom prosthetic implants fabricated prior to the mission. “By utilizing these advanced and creative techniques, we are able to improve upon their form and function and work towards restoring their self-image, sense of self and self-confidence,” said Dr. Brissett. “On return missions like this, we witness the resilience and lasting impact we have had on patients and their families. The patients go from extreme injuries to powerful outcomes. It has shown me the power of reconstructive medicine,” he added.

This year, the team treated 26 patients, including military personnel, veterans and civilians. In total, they performed 107 hours of surgery and implanted eight patients with patient-specific prostheses. Dr. Brissett noted changes in the patient population over time. “The age of the soldiers has been trending down,” he said. In earlier missions, most of the injured soldiers were older, typically aged 50 to 55 — patriots who had volunteered to fight after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This year, the team treated more soldiers in the 25 to 35 age range.

The team also provides staged surgical care, with some patients requiring follow-up on previous procedures. In one case, Dr. Brissett is rebuilding a young man’s nose, a multi-step process. In another case, he operated on a soldier with facial paralysis, refining the results of an earlier surgery to further enhance the patient’s appearance and function. A native of Canada, Dr. Brissett serves on the board of Face the Future Foundation Canada, established 28 years ago by Dr. Peter Adamson to treat children and adults with facial deformities. Over the years, he has brought his surgical expertise to countries including Ecuador, Russia, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Ghana and now the Ukraine. “The healthcare and medical educational system in Ukraine is robust; however, their training does not include significant trauma,” Dr. Brissett explained. “The Ukrainian surgeons are capable of performing many of the techniques we use in the United States and Canada, but they certainly were not prepared for the devastating injuries that come along with war.”

2025 mission team stats

hours of surgery

total number of patients

deployed 8 patient-specific implants

Susan Truax, Senior Executive Assistant to Dr. Brissett and Mas Takashima, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Houston Methodist, assists in coordinating and the administrative planning for these complex missions. Weekly virtual meetings begin each January, lasting three to five hours, with breakout sessions focused on nursing, anesthesia and patient-specific logistics. “We could not do this without Susan. She has a mind for details that must be taken care of beforehand so that we can do our best work when we get to the Ukraine,” said Dr. Brissett. “I keep the moving pieces afloat so they can worry about the big things,” said Truax. “I feel very privileged to do my very small part of this mission effort. I admire what the team is doing and worry about them the whole time they’re gone.” Truax noted that the team’s educational lectures during missions have grown to standing-room-only attendance. This year, they led multiple sessions and hands-on workshops covering suturing, complex airway management, and pediatric surgery.

The healthcare and medical educational system in Ukraine is robust; however, their training does not include significant trauma. The Ukrainian surgeons are capable of performing many of the techniques we use in the United States and Canada, but they certainly were not prepared for the devastating injuries that come along with war.

Dr. Anthony Brissett

Ukrainian physician Ostap Orischack, MD, an otolaryngologist at Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Hospital, has become a key partner in patient triage and mission coordination. He is currently undergoing advanced training in Canada. “His experience underscores the significance of capacity-building and sustainability that we work to create,” said Dr. Brissett. This year’s educational mission placed added emphasis on training nurses and healthcare personnel. “Over the past 18 months, a nursing education center has been created within the hospital. That has been a significant accomplishment on the road to capacity building,” said Dr. Brissett. The team also distributed PTSD surveys to Ukrainian patients and families, as well as healthcare workers from both the Ukraine and North America. The surveys aim to assess how war is affecting stress levels, depression, burnout and anxiety. Dr. Brissett and Face the Future Canada are working with Ukrainian colleagues on ongoing research to better understand the psychological impact of the war on patients, families and medical professionals. Many patients stay in touch with Dr. Brissett, sharing updates and details of their recovery. One soldier removed his name badge from his uniform and gave it to Dr. Brissett, who now keeps it on his desk in Houston as “a pleasant reminder of the work that we’re doing and the impact it provides.” “There certainly are some lasting emotional impacts, of course, from my mission work. Even though I am out of the region, I know my colleagues are still battling. Certainly, it is a challenge – both personally and professionally.”