Conferences, courses and cutting: continuing education in craniofacial surgery

Craniofacial surgery is one of the newer subspecialties in plastic surgery, having developed from the pioneering work of Dr Paul Tessier in the 1960s. Craniofacial anomalies may be congenital, traumatic or oncologic in origin.1 Major improvements in the lives of patients with these conditions have been achieved through the application of specific surgical approaches requiring expert anatomical knowledge, precise surgical technique and an appreciation of the science underpinning it all. Mastery of both theoretical knowledge and surgical skill is necessary to minimise the potential complications of craniofacial interventions, such as life-threatening blood loss, damage to the orbit or brain, cerebrospinal fluid leak, meningitis or death.1 The rapid expansion of surgical techniques and a growing understanding of disease causation and management require that surgeons stay abreast of the latest developments in the field.2 But how to retain and extend this knowledge and skill base once fellowship training has ceased?