Laser Surgery Begins for Lithuanian

The first of several laser treatments for a Lithuanian secret service agent injured in an explosion was declared a success Thursday by his plastic surgeon, Dr. Edward Domanskis of Newport Beach.

Domanskis said that about half of a skin discoloration caused by gunpowder was removed in Wednesday’s treatment. If subsequent procedures go as well, he said, 95% of the discoloration will be removed.

Alyvdas Kisunas was burned in 1993 when he opened a garage door that had been rigged with explosives. The blast left Kisunas without one eye and with severe damage to the other. Scars and deep discoloration were left after his injuries healed.

Domanskis, who is of Lithuanian descent, learned of Kisunas’ situation a year ago and offered free reconstructive surgery.

Kisunas, 29, will spend the next three months in and out of Domanskis’ office, first for the skin treatments and later for surgery to reconstruct an eyelid and repair a tendon to make his eyes more symmetrical.

Domanskis said that plastic surgery techniques in Lithuania, where he has treated children for the past five years, are not nearly as advanced as in the United States.

After Kisunas’ accident, doctors there “saw him on an emergency basis and had to pay more attention to the life-threatening problems,” Domanskis said. The scars on Kisunas’ face left him timid about his appearance, the surgeon said.

Domanskis said he hopes that, using the latest technology, he can alleviate most of the scarring and correct most of the superficial problems with the patient’s eyes.

Perhaps then, Domanskis said, Kisunas will feel comfortable without the dark glasses that he now insists on wearing all the time.