Shaikha’s Smile: Surgery for Goldenhar Syndrome

CHOP plastic surgeons and orthodontists performed multiple procedures to fix the asymmetry of Shaikha’s face caused by a rare genetic syndrome. https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs... Shaikha was born in the United Arab Emirates with a rare condition called Goldenhar syndrome, which causes underdevelopment on one side of the body, mostly on the face. Shaikha’s family brought her to the United Kingdom and South Korea for treatment, and by the age of 11, she already had undergone 19 surgeries. Then at 15, she turned to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). CHOP’s surgeons are world-class experts in treating differences of the face and skull. This video tells the story of Shaikha’s journey while undergoing multiple procedures at CHOP. After more than four months in Philadelphia, Shaikha headed home with a new smile.