Dr. Stavros Tombris MD, PhD, DDS, is a graduate of the Democritus University Medical School and the Aristotle University Dental School.

He was trained in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Tufts University, Boston MA (1997-2001). He was a surgical consultant at the Hemangiomas and Vascular Malformation Clinic (Director Prof. Martin Mihm) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University Medical School (1998-2001).
In 2002 he continued his training on vascular lesions of the face, at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital with Prof. Milton Waner.

Returning to Greece he served as the Director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Athens Naval Hospital (2008-2011). Since 2005, he is the Director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Athens Euroclinic Hospital and Children’s Euroclinic Hospital. Being actively involved in the treatment of vascular lesions of the face, Dr. Tombris was invited as a lecturer in many national and international conferences. He is a member of the medical board of the Vascular Birthmark Foundation –Europe Dr. Tombris has offered his help in organizing vascular malformation clinics in other countries. Currently he is an affiliated expert to the Vascular Birthmark Institute at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York and the Zentrum für Vasculäre Malformationen at the Werner Forßmann Hospital in Eberswalde, Germany.

Dr.Tombris, Maxillofacial Surgery provides complete therapeutic solutions both in functional and esthetic problems of the mouth the jaws and the face. Would you like to talk to us about these solutions?

Maxillofacial Surgery is a medical specialty; its unique characteristic is that the Surgeon must be both a Medical and Dental School graduate and after completing his/hers long-term basic education, he/she is trained for five years as a surgical resident. This provides the knowledge and skills to the Maxillofacial Surgeon, to deal with any problem at the areas of ​​the oral cavity, the face and the neck. Thus, the spectrum of specialty ranges from simple intraoral invasive procedures, such as placement of dental implants or bone grafts into the jawbones, up to complex functional reconstructions in cases of facial clefts, or abnormalities in the formation of the facial skeleton. The Maxillofacial Surgeon also treats facial injuries, infections, benign conditions as well as malignant conditions arising from tissues of the head and neck region. Finally, we have to mention that the subject of this specialty includes aesthetic interventions in the face, surgical treatment of sleep apnea, temporomandibular joint diseases, salivary gland pathology and the treatment of myofacial pain.

Why should someone come to our country to seek treatment for his/her problem?

Our country is characterized by a combination of favorable factors that could attract patients from other countries of the world. First of all, the patient is looking for a trained physician-medical team with knowledge and skills to help him with his problem. It is known that Greek doctors meet the needs of this search, since most of them are well trained, either abroad or in specialized clinics in our country. The patient also seeks an environment which can provide medical services of certified, high-level quality. In this field of search, our country responds also successfully, if we take into account today’s reality regarding the excellent infrastructure in health industry, the technological modalities and the organization of hospitals and medical units in Greece. The patient then wishes to be treated as quickly as possible and have the required diagnostic and therapeutic actions completed in a timely manner. It is true that in Greece the processing of diagnostic tests, preoperative evaluations and subsequent therapeutic interventions is rapid and free from the disturbing waiting and approval procedures, which may exist in some other countries. Finally, the patient asks for all the above at a reasonable financial cost. In this aspect, our country is particularly competitive comparing with other countries, providing high-quality medical services at lower prices. If all of these are added to the wonderful environment, the climate, the beauty of the landscapes of our country, the humanity, courtesy and hospitality that is inherent in every health worker, the cultural and historical heritage and the fact that Greece as a member of the European Union belongs to a group of developed countries, then the overall services offered can become very attractive, when combined with a sound framework of rules and regulations governing the management of health tourism in our country.

It is known that you specialize in hemangiomas and vascular malformations of the face. Would we say that one could now be successfully treated for the hemangiomas and malformations that affect him both physically and psychologically?

It is true that the treatment of facial vascular tumors has been a particular subject I have been working on for about 20 years. I was fortunate, during my studies in the United States, to come in contact with teachers and mentors who are pioneers in this field and who generously offered their knowledge and experience to me. By returning to Greece, I continued to work intensively on these diseases and also kept in touch with the centers I had been trained in order to be up to date with all the developments regarding these lesions. Indeed, vascular tumors create functional as well as aesthetic and psychological problems. Specific knowledge and expertise is required so that the attending physician is able to deal with them. In the past, but to a certain extent even today, these lesions were considered as difficult to treat due to the expected perfuse bleeding when attempting to remove them, the post surgical defects and scars, but mainly due to the relative ignorance of their nature and course. Today, with the use of appropriate therapeutic protocols by trained physicians, using modern technological modalities and the collaboration of medical specialists, these tumors are safely removed. We now have the ability to relieve a young child from an hemangioma and prevent the functional disorders that this could cause, but also the obvious impact on its personality development. In the same way we can help adult patients to be treated from a vascular malformation, which also causes severe functional and aesthetic problems. I am very happy to tell you that in Greece, we have establishes the European Vascular Anomalies Clinic (www.eva-clinic.eu) for the treatment of these conditions. Maxillofacial surgeons, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, interventional radiologists and other specialists are the members of its scientific team. The creation of this clinic was the result of a long-lasting effort aiming at the best possible overall treatment of hemangiomas and vascular malformations in Greece.

What are the new valuable therapeutic modalities in Maxillofacial surgery?

Maxillofacial Surgery is consistent with all current developments in the Medical field and the use of new technologies in its practice is essential. I would like to mention as the first of these the application of Robotic Surgery in certain cases of Head and Neck diseases. I had the pleasure of being trained in Robotic Surgery at the Lorraine University Medical School in France. Indeed, the implementation of the robot offers a great potential for advancing the level of patient care. Also, another field of ​​application of new technologies is the use of the latest Laser technology to treat vascular tumors, pigmented lesions and other skin conditions, as well as aesthetic problems. Let me also refer to the new potentials of three-dimensional printing and accurate positioning of grafting materials to correct defects, the use of digital technology in preoperative assessment, the applications of distraction osteogenesis in the craniofacial area, the development of minimally invasive techniques using endoscopes eg for the temporomandibular joint, the continuous improvement of the biomaterials used in our surgical treatments,

Maxillofacial Surgery is a specialty in which the advances of technology are directly applicable. It is also the specialty practiced by many well-trained colleagues both in Greece and abroad, who in a discrete and humble manner offer a very important service. It is the specialty in which technology and human factor harmonize to the benefit of the patient.

It is the specialty I have the great honor and the blessing to serve.

Stavros Tombris MD, PhD, DDS

Maxillofacial Surgeon

Director of Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic

Athens Euroclinic Hospital

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