THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

*] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

WITH A HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND THE HORIZON WE BEGIN WITH NEWS FOR RESIDENTS PLANNING TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS.

NOW, MARYLAND PARKS ARE IMPLEMENTING A NEW RESERVATION SYSTEM.

JOINING US IS TIM HAMILTON OF THE MARYLAND PARKS SERVICE.

TIM THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THAT THE RESERVATIONS SYSTEM IS MEANT TO ADDRESS?

>> WELL, IN 2019 WE KEEP CLOSE TRACK OF OUR VISITORS WE HAVE 80 PARKS IN THE STATE.

AND WE'VE SHATTERED ALL RECORDS BEFORE WITH 14 MILLION VISITORS.

THE NEXT YEAR WE HAD 22 MILLION.

WE WENT FROM 14 MILLION WHICH SHATTERED RECORDS TO 22 MILLION BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

PEOPLE WERE LOOKING OUT OF THE RUT THEY WERE IN.

THEY WERE WORKING FROM HOME AND PEOPLE FOUND MARYLAND STATED PARKS AND ONCE THEY FOUND US WE'VE STAYED FOUND.

WE'VE HAD VARIOUS NUMBERS BUT NEVER REALLY LIKE 17 MILLION, 18 MILLION WELL ABOVE WHERE WE WERE PREPANDEMIC LEVELS.

WE'RE LOVED TO DEATH SO WE HAVE TO MITIGATE THE PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH ALL THE PEOPLE.

WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A GREAT TIME AT THE PARKS BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE CAN ONLY HOLD SO MANY PEOPLE.

LET'S SAY YOU HAVE ONE PARK WITH A THOUSAND PARKING SPACES AND 3,000 PEOPLE COME IN.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

2019 WE IMPLEMENTED A SYSTEM AT FALLING BRANCH THAT KILGORE FALLS NORTH OF BALTIMORE AND IT IS A POPULAR AREA TO VISIT BECAUSE OF THE WATERFALL AND WE HAD A SMALL PARKING LOT AND WE COULD NOT EXPAND AND WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PEOPLE HAD TO USE THAT ROAD TO GET IN AND OUT.

WE HAD BACK UPS EVERY WEEKEND AND PEOPLE COULD NOT GET OUT AND THEY WERE TRAPPED IN THEIR HOMES.

SO WE LAUNCHED A PILOT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD A RESERVATION SYSTEM YOU HAD TO MAKE A RESERVATION BEFORE YOU CAME IN.

AND AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS IT WORKED.

THE RESIDENTS LOVED IT AND THE VISITORS LOVED IT AND THE RANGERS LOVED IT.

IT WORKED.

WHEN WE STARTED HAVING THE BACKUPS AT PARKS GREEN BREYER IN WESTERN MARYLAND WE WERE HAVING TWO OR LOY-MILE BACK UPS PEOPLE WERE COMING OUT AT MIDNIGHT TO SECURE THEIR PLACES.

BY MIDNIGHT USUALLY 4:00 A.M. PEOPLE ARE LINED UP AND WHEN WE LET THE PEOPLE IN WE GET TO A POINT NO ONE ELSE COULD COME IN.

AND WE HAVE 200 CLOSURES A YEAR.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT A WAY TO ENSURE PEOPLE GET INTO THE PARKS AND IF THEY CAN'T GET IN THEY CAN MAKE PLANS LIKE I SAID WE HAVE 80 PARKS IN THE STATE, YOU CAN SAY NOW WE KNOW WE HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER PARK AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND IN LINE WAITING TO GET IN.

>> Jeff: IT IS AN AMAZING COMPLIMENT TO THE PARK SYSTEM YOU HAD THE PANDEMIC SURGE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES BUT THEY KEPT COMING BACK.

THAT IS GREAT AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.

WHAT IS THE NEW PLAN?

>> THE NEW PLAN IS THAT SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE PARKS ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS IT STARTS ON MEMORIAL WEEKEND AND GOES THROUGH LABOR DAY.

OVER THE SUMMER WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FIVE PARKS THAT WILL USE RESPECTIZATION THIS SUMMER.

WE'RE PILOTING TWO THIS WEEKEND AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OTHER THREE COME ON-LINE IN THE SUMMER.

SEVEN DAYS BEFORE YOU CAN GET ON-LINE TO THE VENDOR WEBSITE AND MAKE RESERVATIONS BEFORE YOU COME OUT.

AND IT WILL SEND YOU A QR CODE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A RESERVATION, YOU DRIVE UP AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE.

YOU SHOW YOUR PHONE WITH YOUR QR CODE AND THEY SCAN YOU'RE IN.

THAT IS ALL THERE IS TO IT.

>> Jeff: SO THE STARTING POINT IS THE STATE PARKS WEBSITE.

AND FROM THERE, ARE YOU CHARGING FOR THIS?

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW?

>> WE HAVE A SMALL CHARGE SINCE IT'S DONE OVER A CREDIT CARD IT WILL BE THE CREDIT CARD FEE AND 30 CENT CHARGE.

SOME PARK ALSO CHARGE $3 PER PERSON AND OTHER $3 PER CAR WE ARE TALKING SMALL FEES IT IS A 2.9% OR WHATEVER THE CREDIT CARD CHARGES AND 30% SERVICE FEE THAT DOES TO THE VENDOR IT'S PRETTY MINIMAL.

>> Jeff: AND THEN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.

WHEN PEOPLE HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS AND THEY SHOW UP AND GET TURNED AWAY IF THAT IS THE PLAN YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE UPSET CUSTOMERS?

>> WE ARE THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING MEDIA APPEARANCES AND PRESS RELEASES, WE HAVE E-MAIL BLASTS GOING OUT TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

WE HAVE HANDOUTS GIVEN TO PEOPLE AT THE CONTACT STATIONS AND SIGNS ON THE ROADS.

WE HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT ARE GOING UP.

WE HAVE GREAT ENGAGEMENT IN ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

DESPITE ALL THAT, WE ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE A FEW PEOPLE DISAPPOINTED ON MEMORIAL DAY AND WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING TO ALLEVIATE THAT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION BUT IT'S GROWING PAINS.

WITHIN A FEW WEEKS IT'S GOING TO BE SMOOTH AND PEOPLE WILL KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU DO AND IT WILL MAKE THEIR VISIT SO MUCH BETTER.

>> Jeff: AND ARE YOU HOPING THAT PEOPLE CAN'T GET IN DON'T GO AWAY AND SIT AT HOME AND DO NOTHING.

MAYBE FIND ANOTHER MARYLAND PARK THAT'S UNDERUTILIZED THAT HAS THE AMENITIES THEY ARE LOOKING FOR.

ARE THERE PARKS LIKE THAT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO CALL PEOPLE'S ATTENTION TO.

>> THE FIRST ONES WILL BE GREEN BREYER STATE PARK IN WESTERN MARYLAND AND ANYTHING WEST OF ROUTE 15.

WEST OF FREDERICK.

AND DOING AT SANDY POINT, THE BASE OF THE BAY BRIDGE AND THE REASON BEING THOSE ARE WILDLY POPULAR AND THE CARS BACK UP.

NOT ONLY DO THEY CAUSE AGGRAVATION TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND THE TRAFFIC: AND IF YOU TRY TO GET OVER THE BAY BRIDGE ANY TRAFFIC ON THAT END WILL CAUSE THINGS TO SNARL.

SO LIKE I SAID YOU NEVER MORE THAN 25 MINUTES AWAY FROM A STATE PARK AND WE HAVE AREAS, PA TASSO CLOSES ONCE IN A WHILE BUT THE DANIELLESS AREA THAT DO NOT FILL UP AS OFTEN.

WE HAVE SMALLER PARKS LIKE ST. MARY HE RIVER A FEW MILES TO THE SUIT.

SOUTH.

OF WE HAVE THE WEST, CENTRAL, SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SHORE.

AND WE HAVE OUR POPULAR PARKS AND PARKS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT.

MIKHAIL DAN IS FILLED YOU CAN GO TO SOLDIER'S DELIGHT.

SINCE PEOPLE FOUND US DURING THE PANDEMIC BY ACCIDENT, THEY WILL FIND OUT ABOUT SOME OF OUR LESSER KNOWN PARKS ABOUT TOO.

>> Jeff: YOU'VE HAD A RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR CAMPGROUNDS, OF COURSE.

DOES THAT CHANGE AT ALL?

>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW SYSTEM LAUNCHING NEXT YEAR.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE IN LATE FALL OR EARLY WINTER.

AND THAT IS FOR EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW FOR OUR CAMPSITES OUR PAVILIONS AND RENTAL PROPERTIES AROUND THE STATE.

WE HAVE GREAT CABINS IN WESTERN MARYLAND.

DOING THE WINTER THING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DEEP CREEK LAKE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH NEW GERMANY STATE PARK, GREAT WINTER ACTIVITIES UP THERE.

BUT WE HAVE RESERVATION SYSTEM WHERE YOU CAN RESERVE THAT ON-LINE.

AND WITH THE RESERVATION SYSTEM IF IT'S FILLED IF YOU FIND A STATE PARK YOU ARE TRYING TO CAMP AND IT'S FILLED IT WILL RECOMMEND OTHER STATE PARKS.

HOWEVER BASED ON YOUR NEEDS AND WHAT YOU WANT HERE ARE OTHER STATE PARKS THAT ARE SIMILAR AND THAT WILL LAUNCH NEXT YEAR.

>> Jeff: I'VE SEEN LONG LINES OF CARS AT THE PARK ENTRANCE POINT AT ROCKY GAP WHERE THERE'S A LAKE AND A BEAUTIFUL BEACH AND ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES.

DOES DEEP CREEK A LITTLE BIT ROGER DRIVE FROM THE BELTWAY AREAS, DOES THAT ONE GET OVERCROWDED?

>> NO.

IT DOESN'T.

AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE CENTRALLY MARYLAND CENTRIC HERE IN GENERAL.

PEOPLE LIKE US WHO LIVE HERE YOU FORGET THERE IS A WESTERN MARYLAND OR EASTERN SHORE.

WHEN YOU GET OUT THERE 68 OPENED UP THINGS BEFORE.

IT WAS BACK IN THE 80s THAT IF YOU WERE TRYING TO GO TO DEEP CREEK YOU HAD TO GO ALONG ROUTE 40 AND TINY TOWNS.

NOW IT'S MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.

AND WHAT WE FOUND, IS THE WATER.

THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE LOVE.

IF THEY CAN'T FIND THE BAY OR THE OCEAN, THEY LIKE THE LAKES WE HAVE GREAT LAKES AND THERE'S NO NATURAL LAKES IN MARYLAND THESE ARE ALL MAN MADE AND ROCKY GAP HAS THE CLEANEST LAKE IN MARYLAND.

BUT WHEN PEOPLE GO TO LET'S SAY GREEN BREYER AND IT'S FILLED UP THEY KEEP GOING 45 MINUTES UNTIL THEY GET TO ROCKY GAP AND PEOPLE WILL GO TO DEEP CREEK.

WESTERN MARYLAND WE DON'T TEND TO GET OVERCROWDED IN THOSE PARKS FOR THE MOST PART.

>> Jeff: HOW ABOUT STAFFING?

ARE YOU STILL HIRING SEASONAL WORKERS?

>> WE'RE ALWAYS HIRING.

WE'RE HIRING RANGERS AND SEASONAL WORKERS WE WOULD LOVE IF YOUR KIDS ARE LOOKING FOR SUMMER JOBS WE NEED LIFEGUARDS NOT JUST THE LAKE WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO WORK ON THE BEACH IN OCEAN CITY BUT WE ALSO HAVE LAKES AND POOLS.

WE HAVE DANCE MOUNTAIN POOL IN WESTERN MARYLAND AND WE HAVE THE POCONO RUN ON THE EASTERN SHORE.

YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LIFEGUARDS.

>> Jeff: MOSQUITOES IS THE ANSWER TO WHY YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE A LIFEGUARD.

I GUESS YOU HAVE THE LIFEGUARDS HAVE THE BEST REPELL LANDS?

>> A NICE BREEZE, TOO.

THE MOSQUITOES THE SIZE OF SMALL BIRDS YOU LEARN HOW TO DODGE THEM.

>> Jeff: THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE 25 AND 2025 ADVENTURE CHALLENGE.

WHAT IS THAT?

>> SO THIS IS A PROGRAM IT CHALLENGES YOU TO GET OUT AND VISIT STATE PARKS AND COMPETE 35 CHALLENGES BEFORE NOVEMBER.

SO IT LAUNCHED A COUPLE WEEKS ALLEGE.

AND WE HAVE EVENTS AND WE HAVE CHALLENGES AT PARKS ALL OVER THE STATE.

AND WE WANT YOU TO GO OUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND PICK OUT YOUR CHALLENGES AND IF YOU COMPLETE 25 OF THE CHALLENGES YOU CAN BE ENTERED INTO A PRIZE DRAWING.

THERE IS A $25 DONATION AND ENTRY FEE BUT YOU CAN WIN FREE PASSES AND ANNUAL PASSES AND STATE PARK SWAG.

WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS.

BUT WE HAVE TASKS THAT ARE SETUP ALL OVER THE STATE.

IT IS NOT UNLIKE WHEN WE USED TO DO PARK QUEST BECAUSE PEOPLE AWANTED MORE THINGS THAT WERE MORE FLEXIBLE YOU COULD DO AS A TEAM AS A FAMILY, ON YOUR OWN.

WE HAVE A CHASING WATERFALLS GO TO SWALLOW FALLS OR CUNNINGHAM FALLS AND WE HAVE SPECTACULAR WATERFALLS YOU GO AND GET PICTURES AND SUBMIT THEM AND ENTER THE CONTEST.

VISITING ISLANDS.

WE HAVE ALL THESE EVENTS LIGHTHOUSES.

LAKES.

DISK GOLF CHALLENGES.

YOU CAN BUILD YOUR ADVENTURE ALL THE WAY THROUGH NOVEMBER.

IT IS A LOT OF FUN.

>> Jeff: BEFORE WE GO, YOU MENTIONED AN ANNUAL PASS FOR WHOM DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> IF YOU ARE GOING TO THREE PARKS A SUMMER YOU WILL WANT AN ANNUAL PASS.

IT PAYS FOR ITSELF T GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY AND GETS YOU YOU'VE ALREADY PAID IT IS JUST DO THE MATH ON IT.

IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE TO HAVE THE PASS SO I DON'T HAVE TO PAY EVERY TIME.

AND SOME OF THE PARKS HAVE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS.

JUST BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE CHARGE BY THE CAR AND SOMETIMES BY THE PERSON DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE PARK AND HOW THEY ARE SETUP.

WITH THIS YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.

WE HAVE A GOLDEN AGE PASS FOR PEOPLE OVER AGE 55 AS WELL.

>> AND TIM HAMILTON IS WITH THE MARYLAND PARK SERVICE.

WE HOPE IT IS A GREAT SUMMER AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU, JEFF, IT WAS GREAT.

[*] >> Jeff: JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HEALTH IS DR. MOHUMMAD MINHAJ SIDDIQUI CHIEF OF FACIAL PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER AND ASOCIOPROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

DOCTOR THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU WERE RECENTLY INVOLVED IN A FIRST OF ITS KIND PROCEDURE.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES OF THIS CASE?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

SO THIS WAS A FIRST OF THE KIND WORKING WITH TWO OTHER SURGEONS NEUROSURGEON, AND A RHYNOLOGIST.

AND SO US THREE WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PATIENT THAT HAD TUMOR OF THE SPINE.

AND THIS IS GENERALLY AN AREA THAT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE EASILY.

>> Jeff: SO IT WAS HIGH UP IN THE SPINE AND YOU COULDN'T GET TO IT SAFELY FROM THE BACK.

>> RIGHT.

BECAUSE THE TUMOR SAT IN FRONT.

YOU HAVE YOUR SPINAL CORD AND THEN YOUR VERTEBRAL BODIES IF THE TUMOR IS BEHIND THE SPINAL CORD YOU CAN ACCESS IT FROM THE BACK.

IF IT SITS IN THE FRONT YOU HAVE TO ACCESS IT FROM THE FRONT.

WHEN IT GETS INTO THE REGION BETWEEN THE SKULL AND AS YOU TRANSITION TO THE NECK, THAT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOUR FACIAL SKELETON THIS BECOMES A VERY CHALLENGING AREA TO ACCESS.

>> Jeff: WE HAVE A GRAPHIC THAT IS NOT GRAPHIC, BUT DEPICTS EXACTLY HOW YOU GUYS DID THIS.

AND IT MADE A LOT OF NEWS, MADE NATIONAL NEWS BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN SEE ONE INSTRUMENT OR IMPLEMENT WENT THROUGH A NOSTRIL AND THE OTHER APPEARS TO BE GOING THROUGH AN EYE SOCKET.

HOW DID THAT WORK?

>> RIGHT.

SO THE APPROACH THE CHALLENGE IS GETTING LOW ENOUGH ON THE SPINE THROUGH THE NOSE WAS WHAT ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS WAS.

THE THOUGHT IS IF WE COULD COME FROM ABOVE OR A POINT HIGHER FROM THE NOSE, IT WILL BE ABLE TO ANGLE US DOWNWARD TO GET A LITTLE BIT LOWER ON THE SPINE.

WHERE OUR PATIENT'S TUMOR WAS.

SO I ACCESSED THROUGH INCISIONS THROUGH THE MOUTH AND ON THE INNER PORTION OF THE EYELID AND THE CORNER ALL WELL HIDDEN INCISIONS.

AND REMOVED A PORTION OF THE FACE OF THE UPPER JAW AS WELL AS AREAS OF THE EYE SOCKET SO THE DOCTORS COULD USE THE FOUR HANDED TECHNIQUE TO PASS INSTRUMENTS BETWEEN THE NOSE AND THE EYE SOCKET TO GET TO THE SPINE.

>> Jeff: AND THE PATIENT, SUCCESSFUL SURGERY, STILL HAS EYESIGHT.

>> SHE STILL HAS EYESIGHT, YES.

>> Jeff: AI IMAGE STUFF.

THE INSTRUMENTS THAT SMALL, MUST BE SMALLER THAN I CAN IMAGINE?

>> THEY ARE FAIRLY SMALL AND ALSO HAVE TO BE VERY LONG.

YOU HAVE TO START HERE AND END UP DEEP IN THE CENTER OF YOUR HEAD, NECK AREA.

SO YOU NEED LONG SMALL INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE VERY PRECISE.

BECAUSE AS THE DOCTOR IS DRILLING THE BONE OR THE TUMOR OR WORKING ON THE TUMOR, MILLIMETRES CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE WHEN DEALING WITH THE SPINE.

>> PATIENT A YOUNG WOMAN DEALING WITH THIS.

AND DOING WELL.

BUT I'M CURIOUS WHEN YOU WERE SPRAINING ALL THIS TO THE PATIENT, WHAT WAS THE REACTION?

>> THE PATIENT REALLY TOOK IT IN STRIDE THE PATIENT AND THE FAMILY THAT WAS THERE.

I SO I THINK SHE RECOGNIZED THAT HER TUMOR AND HER SITUATION WAS VERY UNIQUE.

AND IN MANY SITUATIONS THIS WAS THOUGHT TO BE INOPERABLE OR AN AREA YOU COULD NOT DO SURGERY IN IT WOULD BE TREATED IN SOME OTHER MANNER.

SO SHE WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING TO MY SURPRISE.

>> Jeff: THE TECHNIQUES THAT YOU AND THE TEAM DEVELOPED FOR THIS DOES IT HAVE POTENTIAL OTHER APPLICATIONS?

I MEAN YOU CERTAINLY LEARNED FROM THIS.

DOES THAT INFORMATION GET CARRIED FORWARD?

>> YEAH, I THINK IT GETS CARRIED FORWARD AND I HAVE TO CREDIT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE FROM BEHIND ME THAT GAVE KNEE THE TOOLS TO DO THIS.

BEING AT SHOCK TRAUMA WHERE I TAKE DARE OF A -- CARE OF A LOT OF PATIENTS FACIAL FRACTURES A LOT OF THE TECHNIQUES I WAS EMPLOYING WERE A PART OF THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

SIMILARLY THE DOCTORS USING TECHNIQUES THAT THEY'VE USED BEFORE.

THE NOVELTY HERE IS WE'VE DONE -- WE ARE APPLYING ALL THE TECHNIQUES IN A WAY RECEIPTING A PATIENT THAT WAS ABLE TO BE TREATED BEFORE THIS TECHNIQUE COMBINATION.

>> Jeff: I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR SHOCK TRAUMA WORK PART OF THE MEDICAL CENTER COMPLEX.

AND YOU SEE ALL SORTS OF IMPACT INJURIES FROM CAR ACCIDENTS AND SO FORTH.

DO YOU SEE MORE OR LESS OF THAT IN THE AIRBAG AGE?

>> WE SEE A LOT OF THAT.

WE SEE A THE LOST GUNSHOT WOUNDS.

>> TO THE FACE?

>> TO THE FACE.

WE SEE HAND ASSAULTS HAND TO HAND COMBAT.

>> Jeff: ASIDE FROM THE TRAUMA AND PROCEDURES LIKE THIS, WHAT'S THE BULK OF THE PROCEDURES THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAMWORK ON?

>> SO FOR ME, AS A FACIAL PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON IN THE DEPARTMENT I HAVE A PRETTY BROAD PRACTICE.

SO ONE'S CALLED A HYBRID PRACTICE IT IS A COMBINATION OF ESTHETIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE.

MY RECONSTRUCTIVE WORK CENTERS PRIMARILY AROUND TRAUMA AS WELL AS RECONSTRUCTION AFTER CANCER WHETHER IT'S SKIN CANCER OR HOED NECK CANCERS.

MY ESTHETIC WORK FOCUSES AROUND ONE IN GENERAL THE FIELD OF FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY ENCOMPASSES WHICH IS MAKING PEOPLE LOOK YOUNGER, FINDING THE ISSUES OF FACIAL AGING.

SO THE STANDARD PROCEDURES ARE EYELID SURGERY, FACELIFTS, RHINO PLASTY.

>> Jeff: OVERALL IN YOUR PRACTICE WE ESTABLISHED THE INSTRUMENTS HAVE GOTTEN SMALLER HAVE THE TECHNIQUES CHANGED?

WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED IN JUST THE TIME YOU'VE BEEN PRACTICING?

THE TECHNIQUES HAVE CHANGED DRASTICALLY.

I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SINCE 2012.

SO NEW PROCEDURES JUST LIKE THE ONE WE'VE DESCRIBED HAVE COME NEW TECHNIQUES HAVE COME AND NEW TECHNOLOGY, I THINK THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPUTER MODELING AND PREPLANNING HAS REALLY MADE SURGERIES THAT WERE IN THE PAST THOUGHT TO BE NOT POSSIBLE, REALLY A REALITY NOW.

>> Jeff: I MADE NOTE AT THE BEGINNING WHEN I MANAGED TO GET THROUGH NINE SYLLABLES OF OTTO, RHINO LARGOLOGY.

YOU SAID THERE IS MORE TO IT.

>> IT'S ALSO CALLED OTTO LARGE COG... HEAD AND NECK SURGERY COVER COVERING THE ASPECTS OF THE FIELD.

>> Jeff: WE'RE HEADING INTO SUMMER SEASON AND PEOPLE ARE OUTDOORS MORE, THE SUN IS SHINING YOU MENTIONED HAVING ABILITY TO DO RECONSTRUCTION IN FACIAL CANCER CASES.

WHEN DOES THAT APPLY?

IS THAT -- WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MOZ SURGERY.

IS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT?

>> THAT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF DERMATOLOGY.

MAJORITY OF MOZ SURGEONS ARE DERMATOLOGISTS AND THEY TAKE CARE OF CANCERS.

THEY WILL REMOVE THE CANCER.

A LOT DO THEIR OWN RECONSTRUCTION WHEN IT GETS MORE COMPLICATED, REQUIRING AN OPERATING ROOM OR THEATER AND REQUIRING A MULTISTAGE SCENARIO, THAT IS WHEN THEY WILL OFTEN REFER TO A SURGEON LIKE MYSELF.

>> Jeff: THE TERM PLASTIC SURGERY MAYBE MISUNDERSTOOD A LITTLE BIT.

IT SORT OF HAS MAGICAL CONNOTATIONS THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO OPERATE WITHOUT CAUSING SCARRING.

IS THAT POSSIBLE YET?

>> SO A LOT OF MY FIELD WORKS ON TRYING TO MINIMIZE SCARRING.

AND WHEN YOU MAKE A SCAR MAKING IT AS WELL HIDDEN AS POSSIBLE.

INPERCEPTIBLE AND MAKING IT HEAL AS BEST AS YOU CAN.

THAT IS THE MEDICINE AND THE ART OF PLASTIC SURGERY.

>> Jeff: AND THAT TAKES US BACK TO THE REASON FOR DOING THIS TUMOR SURGERY, THROUGH THE EYE SOCKET THAT IS PART TO HAVE.

>> PART OF IT WAS THE POSITION OF THE EYE SOCKET IN RELATION TO THAT AREA OF THE SPINE MADE THE ANGLES AND THE MATH AND THE VECTORS APPROPRIATE.

BUT THE APPROACH I SPECIFICALLY TOOK RATHER THAN OTHER MAKING INCISIONS ON THE FACE THAT ARE MORE NOTICEABLE, I'VE HIDDEN AS MANY OF THE SCARS AS I POSSIBLY COULD IN AREAS WHERE NO ONE WOULD KNOW.

>> Jeff: HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

I READ ONCE ANYTIME SKIN IS CUT, IN SURGERY YOU WILL GET SOME KIND OF SCAR.

>> YEAH.

SO THAT IS CORRECT.

WHENEVER SKIN IS CUT ANY CUTS MADE YOU WILL GET A SCAR.

BUT IF YOU IMAGINE IF YOU MAKE A CUT AT THE CORNER OF YOUR EYE WHEN YOU SMILE YOU WILL FORM WRINKLES THAT IS A WELL HIDDEN SCAR IN OUR PATIENT THAT IS ONE OF THE CUTS I MADE.

IF YOU MAKE THE CUT ON THE INNER PORTION OF THE EYELID NOBODY CAN SEE OR INSIDE THE MOUTH.

IT WAS THROUGH THIS DIFFERENT SERIES OF CUTS THAT I WAS ABLE TO GIVE THE DOCTORS THE EXPOSURE THEY NEEDED.

>> Jeff: ARE THERE OTHER TECHNIQUES TO MINIMIZE SCARRING?

AND DOES THE AMOUNT OF SCARRING DIFFER DEPENDING WHAT TYPE OF SKIN WE'RE GOING THROUGH?

SOME THIN SKIN OR SOMETHING TOUGHER, THICKER?

>> YEAH.

THERE IS A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT FACTOR INTO HOW ONE SCARS AND HOW GOOD OF A SCAR ENDS UP.

THINGS LIKE PEOPLE DISEASES THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.

LET'S SAY IF THEY HAVE DIABETES.

THEIR AGE.

THEIR PERIOD IN LIFE SUN EXPOSURE BEFORE OR AFTER ALL FACTOR IN.

AND THE AREA THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN.

SO THERE'S CERTAIN PARTS OF THE FACE THAT SCAR WAY BETTER THAN ONE WOULD EXPECT AND OTHER PARTS THAT DO NOT SCAR AS WELL.

YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MINIMIZE THE AREAS.

>> Jeff: I'M INTERESTED WHEN YOU TEACH PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE WHAT ARE YOUR STUDENTS MOST INTERESTED INTH IN THIS FIELD IS THE HOT AREA DOING RHINO PLASTIES AND EYE LIFTS?

>> I THINK THAT SEEMS TO CHANGE THERE'S PENDULUM SWINGING THAT GOES ON AS I'VE BEEN A PROFESSOR ROLE.

IT DEPENDS ON THE AREA AND DEPENDS ON THE STUDENT.

AND A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY ARE BRINGING TO THE TABLE WHAT INTEREST THEY HAVE FROM THEIR PREMEDICAL SCHOOL LIFE.

>> Jeff: I WANTED TO BRING UP ONE MORE POINT WITH RESPECT TO THE GROUNDBREAKING SURGERY THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE TO TALK TO US.

WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAD DONATED THEIR BODIES TO SCIENCE.

BECAUSE YOU NEEDED TO REHEARSE SOME OF THESE TECHNIQUES.

>> YES, YES, WE CREDIT AND IT STARTS VERY EARLY IN MEDICAL SCHOOL.

I KNOW AFTER ANATOMY LAB WE HAD A CEREMONY APPRECIATING AND THANKING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DONATED THEIR BODIES TO SCIENCE FOR US TO LEARN AND IT STILL APPLIES TO NOW.

IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE PREPARATION WE HAD DONE PRIOR TO THE DAY OF SURGERY TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY.

>> DR. MOHUMMAD MINHAJ SIDDIQUI AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS JOIN US FRIDAY EVENING AT 7:00 P.M. YOU CAN SEE PAST EDITIONS AT VIDEO.MPT.TV.

FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[*]