Curriculum Vitae

Rodney E. Schmelzer, MD

801-743-0700

Contact via email

Current

2014-present  Director Craniofacial Foundation of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah

2012-present  Craniofacial/Pediatric Plastic Surgeon. Partner at Plastic Surgery Associates
Salt Lake City, Utah

2009-2011 Craniofacial/Pediatric Plastic Surgeon at Banner Pediatric Specialists, Mesa, AZ

2005-2009 Craniofacial/Pediatric Plastic Surgeon at Plastic Surgery Associates, Salt Lake City, Utah
Staff Positions: Primary Children’s Medical Center and Intermountain Medical Center

Education

2004-2005 Craniofacial Fellowship Medical City Hospital, Dallas, Texas
(Mentored under Jeffrey Fearon, MD)

2002-2004 Resident in Plastic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO

2001-2002 Research Fellow in Plastic Surgery, Washington University School of
Medicine, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, MO

1997-2000 Resident in General Surgery, Washington University School of
Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO

1993-1997 Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, MD

1989-1991 University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, Post–Baccalaureate Microbiology

1985-1989 Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, BA in English

Research Experience

Washington University, Saint Louis Children’s Hospital, Cleft Palate Craniofacial Deformities Institute. Project: Studies in craniofacial anomalies, 2000-2002. Primary investigator: Jeffrey L. Marsh, MD

Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Department of Infectious Diseases. Project: Antigenic and mitogenic effects of cytokines on HIV pathophysiology, 1994. Primary Investigator: Michael M. Lederman, MD

Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Department of Infectious Diseases. Project: Anti-sense DNA therapy in HIV infected cells, 1992-1993. Primary Investigator: Michael M. Lederman, MD

University of Florida School of Medicine, Department of Genetics. Project: DNA mapping of an X-linked gene for Menke’s Disease, 1991-1992. Primary Investigator: Thomas P. Yang, PhD

University of Florida School of Medicine, Department of Pathology. Project: Studies in DNA polymorphisms in an animal model of HIV, 1990-1991. Primary Investigator: Maureen M. Goodenow, PhD

Abstracts/Presentations

2007

  • American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association co-chair panel for new technology in cleft treatment and research
  • Utah Valley Hospital Pediatric Grand Rounds on craniofacial anomalies
  • Southern Utah Pediatricians “Approach to abnormal head shapes and other congenital anomolies”

2006

  • Snowbird Symposium: “Surgical approach to different morphology in craniosynostosis”
  • Primary Children’s Medical Center: Issues in Pediatric Care Conference “Living with craniofacial disorders”
  • Instructor, CME sponsored wound care and suturing course
  • Primary Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit “An approach to managing the airway in the neonate”

2005

  • Visiting Professor Grand Rounds at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Taipei, Taiwan: “Halo distraction of the Lefort III in syndromal craniosynostosis”

2004

  • ACPA: “Z -Pattern” Craniosynostosis: A Novel Presentation of Tri-sutural Fusion
  • Resident Research Day Presentation: “Endoscopic carpal tunnel release: A Review of 753 cases”

2003

  • CME presentation, ICU staff, Barnes-Jewish Hospital: “Reconstructive options and care of patients with traumatic injuries”
  • Grand Rounds: “Spectrum of craniosynostosis and treatment options”
  • ACPA: “Appearance of Sutural Patency in Lambdoid Synostosis is Dependent on Plane of CT Acquisition”
  • Resident Research Day Presentation 2003: “Outcomes Study in Patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome After Lingual Reduction

2002

  • American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)
    Schmelzer R., Kane A, Marsh JL: “A Comparison of the Effects on the Endocranial Base for two Surgical Approaches in the Treatment of Sagittal Craniosynostosis” (junior investigator session)
  • Schmelzer, R, Marsh JL: “Outcomes Study in Patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome After Lingual Reduction”
  • Plastic Surgery Research Council
    Schmelzer, R, Marsh JL: “Outcomes Study in Patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome After Lingual Reduction”

2001

  • American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
  • Schmelzer R, Perlyn C, Kane A, Govier D, Thomas Pilgram, Ph D, Marsh J: “Patterns of Calvarial Dysmorphology in Sagittal Synostosis”
  • Schmelzer R, Perlyn C, Sutera S, Kane A, Marsh J: “A Static Model for Quantification of Upper Airway Resistance after Distraction Osteogenesis of the Mandible for Microretrognathia” (junior investigator session)

Awards/Positions

  • Ethics committee ACPA 2007
  • Co-chair panel “New Technologies in Cleft Care” ACPA 2007
  • Snowbird Symposium course director for Facial Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery 2006
  • Instructor/speaker CME accredited suture workshop PCMC, 2006
  • Washington University School of Medicine Resident of the Year Award, 2004
  • Senior resident plastic surgery teaching award, 2004
  • Junior Investigator Award, The Cleft Palate Foundation, 2001
  • Second place award for resident presentations, Saint Louis Society of Plastics Surgeons, 2001

Publications

  1. Schmelzer RE, Fearon JA: ‘Z-Pattern’ Craniosynostosis: A novel presentation of trisutural fusion. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 18(3):568-574, 2007
  2. Schmelzer RE, Perlyn CA, Kane A, Pilgram TK, Govier D, Marsh JL: Identifying reproducible patterns of calvarial dysmorphology in nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis may affect operative intervention and outcomes assessment. Plast Reconstr Surg 119(5):1546-1552, 2007
  3. Schmelzer RE, Della Rocca GJ, Caplin DA: Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release: A Review of 753 Cases in 486 Patients. Plast Reconstr Surg 117(1):177-85, 2006
  4. The Washington University Manual of Surgery: Chapter on “Plastic and Hand Surgery” 3rd Edition Lippincott Williams&Wilkins, 2005
  5. Perlyn CA, Schmelzer R, Govier D, Marsh JL: Congenital Scalp and Calvarial Deficiencies: Principles for classification and surgical management. Plast Reconstr Surg 15(4):1129-1141, 2005
  6. Perlyn C, Schmelzer R, Sutera SP, Govier D, Marsh JL: Effects of Distraction Osteogenesis of the Mandible on the Upper Airway Volume and Resistance in Children with Micrognathia. Plast Reconstr Surg 109(6):1809-18, 2002
  7. Guyuron B, Michelow B, Schmelzer R, Thomas T, Ellison MA: Delayed healing of rhytidectomy flap resurfaced with CO2 laser. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 10(3):816-819, 1998
  8. Lederman MM, Georges D, Dando S, Schmelzer R, Averill L, Goldberg D: L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (procysteine) inhibits expression of the human immunodeficiency virus and expression of the IL-2 receptor alpha chain. J. Acquir. Immune Defic Syndr. Hum Retrovirol. 8(2):107-15, 1995

Manuscripts in progress

  1. Schmelzer, R, Marty Grames L, Marsh JL: “Outcomes Study in Patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome after Lingual Reduction”
  2. Schmelzer R., Kane A, Govier D, Thomas Pilgram, Richtsmeier JT, Marsh JL: “A Comparison of the Effects on the Endocranial Base for two Surgical Approaches in the Treatment of Sagittal Craniosynostosis”

Licensures & Certifications

  • Utah
  • American Board of Plastic Surgery (2007)

Click here to print Dr. Schmelzer's C.V.

Memberships

  • AMA
  • American Society of Craniofacial Surgeons (ASCFS)
  • The Plastic Surgery Research Council
  • American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
  • American Cleft Plate Craniofacial Association (ACPA)
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
  • American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS)
  • Utah Medical Society
  • Utah Society of Plastic Surgeons