Director, Facial Reconstruction, Dept. of Plastic Surgery
James Thornton, M.D., FACS, is a Professor of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he teaches plastic surgery residents about facial and nasal reconstruction.
Dr. Thornton earned his medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School and also completed his general surgery residency here. He completed his plastic and reconstructive residency at Emory University.
He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons, and the AO North America (Craniofacial Faculty).
Dr. Thornton has published a textbook and numerous articles about nasal reconstruction and he lectures nationally about nasal and facial reconstruction. His research has been published in Annals of Plastic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, among others.
In 2018, he was named a Super Doctor by Texas Monthly as well as being recognized as a Castle Connolly “Top Doctor” for the last decade.
Dr. Thornton is a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He served for 25 years in both active and reserve duty as a squadron flight surgeon.
He lives in Dallas with his wife and six children. Dr. Thornton is a CrossFit instructor and enjoys coaching classes at CrossFit Medical District, and skydiving. He is known for his intensity and his dry sense of humor.
James Thornton, M.D., is an expert in Mohs reconstruction and works closely with dermatologists trained in Mohs surgery. Mohs surgeons perform the excision to remove common skin cancers, such as melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Dr. Thornton handles the reconstruction of the area where the defect was removed.
“My surgical specialty is soft tissue facial reconstruction,” Dr. Thornton says. “I believe that by focusing on one specific area of plastic surgery, I am able to perfect surgical techniques that can restore normal appearance after a patient has had Mohs surgery due to facial cancer.”
In an academic medical center like UT Southwestern, all specialties are on the same campus, creating a seamless transition for the patient.
"At UT Southwestern, we use an integrated approach to patient care. After skin care surgery I work in conjunction with the Mohs surgeons, so the patient isn’t being shuffled from one specialty to another.”
At UT Southwestern, Dr. Thornton sees his patients before the Mohs excision. He speaks with the Mohs surgeon directly, preparing and discussing a plan in advance.
“This is where we shine as an institution. We are embracing a patient’s skin cancer care journey, from the beginning to the end.”
If the patient needs additional care, such as radiation, wound care, or ENT services, they have immediate access. Dr. Thornton says, “It’s the way medicine should be practiced.”
Dr. Thornton is passionate about patient care and takes a three-pronged approach. First, he is committed to treating patients as if they are members of his family. He recommends care just as he would for his own family.
“Second, I believe in ready access to a physician. I do not believe in putting up obstacles between the patient and the physician. Every patient receives my cell phone number and is welcome to call me at any time during their postoperative care,” he says.
Finally, Dr. Thornton is firmly committed to working with patients as long as they need his expertise. He supports patients until a mutually satisfactory result is achieved, no matter how difficult the Mohs reconstruction.
Dr. Thornton uses the most advanced, up-to-date techniques available today for soft tissue skin cancer reconstruction. He has performed thousands of surgeries on patients with various soft tissue facial defects, including total nasal reconstruction.
“There are very few surgeons performing total nasal reconstruction in the country. The most famous doctor performing this procedure has retired and since turned his entire practice over to us at UT Southwestern,” Dr. Thornton says. “It is exciting work. We have become specialists in complex redo nasal reconstruction.”
Dr. Thornton is excited about the potential to help patients looking for this type of intensive surgery for trauma, defects, or cancer.
“We have the expertise, experience, and knowledge to help, and people have come from across the United States to UT Southwestern to have this unique procedure.”
Dr. Thornton has conducted comprehensive research in skin cancer reconstruction and total nasal reconstruction. He has published extensively on these topics and covered them in the textbook he wrote. He continues to publish the results of his latest techniques and remains actively involved with the residents at UT Southwestern.
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