Fabio Zavattini had to have part of his jaw removed during cancer treatment
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Fabio Zavattini, who lost part of his jaw to childhood cancer, is preparing for an unprecedented facial reconstruction in Brazil using a 3D-printed prosthesis, seeking to improve vital functions and restore his self-esteem.
Fabio Zavattini was only 6 years old when he was diagnosed with the disease Rhabdomyosarcoma On the left side of the jaw. Cancer completely changed his life, and now, at 28, he is preparing for a new stage: reconstructing his face with a prosthesis made using a 3D printer.
He began searching for a new surgery after the end of an eight-year relationship, when his appearance began to bother him again. During his search, Fabio found a company in Brasilia that referred him to dental surgeon Magno Liberato.
“At first, I didn’t have any hope, because I knew the surgery was expensive and we didn’t have the money to do it,” he said.
Fabio’s case is unprecedented in Brazil
Dr. Magno Liberato explained that Fabio’s surgery was divided into two stages. In the first operation, carried out in September this year, a tiny blood vessel transplant of skin, muscle and fat was performed, removed from Fabio’s thigh and implanted in the area between the lower part of the jaw and the neck.
“The need is for the existing skin and muscles of the patient’s jaw and neck to be completely atrophied, thin and fragile, because they have already received radiation at the time of cancer treatment,” the dental surgeon explained.
It is expected that the second stage of surgery will be carried out two to three months after the first procedure, which is the period necessary for the implant to fully integrate into the body and recover for further intervention. However, the final reconstruction is scheduled to take place between January and February 2026.
Over the course of his 13-year career, Dr. Magno Liberato said he had never encountered a case like Fabio’s in the country. “We have already performed similar operations, but with such complexity, as in Fabio’s case, it is unprecedented for us, and very rare in Brazil.”
History of surgeries and trauma from the first attempt
This is not the first time Fabio has undergone facial reconstruction surgery. At age 11, he underwent his first surgery, which reshaped a bone removed from his left fibula to replace part of his jaw. However, complications opened the sutures and caused a serious infection, resulting in graft loss.
“The stitches on my face opened up so much that you could see the bone inside my face,” he recalls.
A year later, he had to return to the operating room to repeat the procedure, this time removing bone from his right fibula. Although the new surgery was successful, two problems arose: it was not possible to insert a joint, which caused an increased load on the right side of the face; Moreover, since Fabio was still growing, the transplanted bone did not follow normal development.
In the new reconstruction surgery, a complete titanium lower jaw prosthesis will be fitted from the left side to the other side of the face, along with a new temporomandibular joint prosthesis.
“Through the CT scan of the patient, virtual planning is performed to customize the ideal size and shape of the material to adapt to the patient’s body,” Liberato explained.
Despite this, the shock of the first surgery still generates fear. “I’m still afraid, I think it’s one of my traumas, but I know that this surgery will help me a lot in improving my quality of life,” Fabio said.
Impact on self-esteem
The reconstruction should improve functions such as chewing, breathing, and speech, as well as improve appearance. For Fabio, this represents an opportunity to regain his self-respect.
“I won’t be perfect, but just getting a little better would raise my self-esteem,” he added.
He said that although he was not worried about his appearance as a child, his adolescence was a difficult time. Being ashamed of his face made him isolate himself and try to hide his image.
“I only went out to go to school and even then I tried to hide,” he recalls with humor. “I started wearing cool jackets even in the heat, just to wear a hoodie. I let my hair grow long just to try to hide my face, and I think that attracted more attention than it hid me.”
Val Marchiori appeals to family members to support women with cancer:
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