בשל "הגנת זכויות יוצרים" מובא להלן קישור לתקציר המאמר. לקריאתו בטקסט מלא, אנא פנה/י לספרייה הרפואית הזמינה לך. 

Head and neck surgery is a broad discipline that involves the management of complex conditions such as burns, skin cancer, head and neck cancer, congenital abnormalities, and facial rejuvenation.

For patients with cancer, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are often the main modes of treatment. Many patients require follow-up reconstructive surgery, and the use of stem cells offers novel treatments that could aid recovery.

Laryngeal, tracheal, and neuronal tissues are frequently damaged by surgery in the head and neck and these tissues have little intrinsic regenerative ability.

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells retain the ability to differentiate into a wide variety of cells meaning that large tissue defects can be reduced by stimulating new cell growth.

Research has demonstrated potential benefits of using stem cells in facial rejuvenation procedures and the management of burns sequelae.

The advancements made in the use of adult progenitor stem cells as a possible source for pluripotent stem cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) mean that ethical considerations around the use of embryological tissue can be minimized, allowing for more research to take place.