Can My Type of Webbed Neck Be Fixed?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m a young woman who was recently diagnosed with Turner Syndrome. I have a noticeable webbed neck and would like to ask if surgical correction might still be possible at my age. Additionally, I underwent two scoliosis surgeries about 20 years ago, so I wanted to mention this in case it may affect any potential surgical approach. Beyond the physical aspects, Turner Syndrome has affected me emotionally as well. It has caused me to struggle with self-confidence for many years. Unfortunately, in my country, most doctors told me that there was no solution or that surgery would be too risky. I often felt dismissed because they did not want to take the risk. Still, I never lost hope. I kept researching on my own and recently discovered your work on webbed neck correction. Reading about your experience gave me hope that improvement might be possible, even after all these years. I would be very grateful if you could provide some guidance regarding possible treatment options.

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. The question in webbed neck surgery is not whether it is risky, as it is not,  but how effective it will be. My concern in your case is that you have a very short wide neck in which using the posterior or indirect webbed neck technique may either not be effective or,  even if good initial results were obtained, would likely have a 100% relapse. Your type of webbed neck is the most challenging to get any sustained improvement.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon