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Dr. Lessard is the Former Chief of the MUHC/۲ݮƵ Plastic Surgery – 12 years/3 terms and Recipient of the Royal College Award of Excellence.
With a Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency and a Craniofacial Fellowship in Paris (Mr. Paul Tessier) & Sweden. Dr. Lessard had the opportunity to perfect her skills in the US and Europe after her excellent ۲ݮƵ/Canadian Surgical Training.
Upon beginning her Plastic Surgery Residency at Boston Children’s /Brigham Hospital’s/Harvard, she was already surgically skilled in Head and Neck/Facial Plastic Surgical due to her Experience/Ability with her first Residency Specialty (FRCSC Board Certification) in Cervicofacial/ENT at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal Children Hospital, Montreal General Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital at ۲ݮƵ University following her Internship at the Jewish General Hospital. This was most appreciated by her Professors in Boston: Dr. J.E Murray (Nobel Prize 1990), Upton, Kaban, Mulliken, and Eriksson.
Upon her return at ۲ݮƵ, Dr.Lessard was always involved in microsurgery and replants of hands and fingers as well as complex head and neck cancer reconstruction with microsurgery. In 2004, she joined the Provincial Replantation Program at its foundation, as one of the experienced microsurgeons, and worked for 14 years on this Program replanting fingers and covering the entire Quebec Province while on 24 hours call.
Simultaneously, Dr. Lessard has always been involved in Research and has supervised more than 15 Master’s Degrees MSc in Experimental Surgery and obtained a US patent and a First Prize at the US PSRC Research Council for an innovative Craniofacial Ultrasound Technique as well as several Research Prizes with her students. She steadily publishes as an Associate Professor in Basic Sciences and Clinical Research.
In 2013, with an innovative microsurgical technique in craniofacial surgery published in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. Dr. Lessard’s Scientific paper & Innovation won the Best Paper of the Year quite an honour.
Subsequently, her research progressed to the Molecular Biology of bone healing studying BMPs 2,4, and 7 on Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis (DO), and in a clinical prospective outcome study has recently published new Clinical Research Work with one of her MSc student on the effects of Breast Hypertrophy on the spine in the PRS: “A Real Pain in the Back” (PRS March 2023) .
At the PSEF-US level, she has reviewed and received Research Grants in a steady manner and was voted into the AAPS Membership in 2010 as one of the very few Quebec/Canadian Members, a tremendous honor from her American colleagues.
For nearly 10 years, she was an examiner for the Certification Board at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC) in both languages English/French, and has been on Scientific Programs/Abstracts Reviewer for Plastic Surgery at the Provincial, Canadian, American, and International Levels.
Her present work with ICOPLAST International began in 2015 after being voted National Delegate by the CSPS in 2015 and was a logical progression in Volunteer Work as a Canadian Society Representative at the International Level.
Currently, Dr. Lessard is an ICOPLAST Board member, a Founding member, a former Chair of Education(4 yrs) and former Treasurer(2yrs) in this organization of 60 countries, and 20,000 Plastic Surgeons. She is the Chairman of the Craniofacial Chapter for the 2nd World Congress in 2023 in Dubai, UAE. With these activities, Dr. Lessard stands for ۲ݮƵ University at an International Level and offers her residents better teaching and to her patients also the latest in Surgical Techniques from this large wealth of Global Scientific Knowledge/Resources.
On the International Clinical Level, Dr. Lessard volunteers in Third World Countries like the Philippines on Surgical Missions with Operation Smile. She has worked on children born with Cleft Lip/Palate, Craniofacial Cases, and burns in Naga City. At the Shriners, she has operated on children referred to the Montreal Unit (only one in Canada) from Greece, Vietnam and now from Pakistan, etc. with severe traumas.
In 2010, she realized one of her dreams Founding the International ۲ݮƵ Craniofacial Fellowship in the Division of Plastic Surgery. Applicants have been taken from Brazil, Europe and Saudi Arabia so far. Dr.Lessard ‘s is in the Leadership position of this Fellowship as the Director.
Dr. Lessard is the Head and Founder at Shriners/MCH/۲ݮƵ of the BAHA/Ear Reconstructive for Congenital Microtia Ear Deformities with 160 BAHA cases done and she did the first BAHA in East/North America in 1996 when she founded the Program. Each of these patients benefited from this new Swedish Technique which she introduced pursuant to her training with Professor Branewark, the Inventor/Pioneer of this procedure. In Ear Reconstruction , she recently began implementing the new technology Medpor (2022) while continuing the older Rib Cartilage Ear reconstruction Technique. She has now begun the new OSIA/BAHA Technique all hidden under the scalp 2 years ago.
This is one of her greatest passions and with her Double Certification (Ear, Nose, and Throat & Plastic Surgery), she is very well positioned with Full Audition/Hearing Expertise and Plastic Surgery skills to provide the required help for her Paediatric and Adult patients.
Noteworthy: As Chief of Plastic Surgery at ۲ݮƵ/MUHC (2007-2019), her experience in 5 Major Cities and 2 Continents served her well in the surgical care of her patients. This not only enhanced but eased the required vision for the future of the Infrastructure of the Plastic Surgery Division.
For the Craniofacial Fellowship, having seen many Craniofacial Programs with all her training allowed her to choose the best infrastructure to build the ۲ݮƵ/MCH Craniofacial section and later the Craniofacial Fellowship Program as well. An important part of the CF Program is also our oncological CF activities at the Montreal Neurological Penfield Institute helping patients who do require very complex Craniofacial and Microsurgical Reconstructions for extensive brain cancers etc., still another great learning opportunity for the residents and the Craniofacial Fellows. From the beginning, Dr. Lessard performed her own Microsurgery on those Craniofacial cases which was quite rare at the time and to this day.
Pediatric MCH Appointments: 514 934-1934 #24309
Pediatric Shriners Appointments: 514-282-7159
Adult Reconstruction: 514-934-1934 #43044
Esthetic Plastic surgery appointments: 514-875-5879 (Nun’s Island)