FACULTY
Laura T. Hetzler, MD, MBA, FACS
Professor and Vice Chair LSU Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
Founder and Director, OLOLRMC Facial Nerve Disorders Multidisciplinary Clinic
Founder and Co-Director, OLOLRMC Cleft Team
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- lhetzl@lsuhsc.edu
- Medicine
Biography
Laura T. Hetzler, MD, FACS is a native of Opelousas, LA. She received her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and subsequently completed an internship in General Surgery at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans and a residency in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Loyola University in Chicago, IL. Dr. Hetzler then pursued advanced training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery by completing a fellowship at University of California, Davis in Sacramento, CA. She joined our faculty after completion of her fellowship in June 2010.
Dr. Hetzler is double board-certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. She is full professor and was residency program director for the department from 2013 until 2024. In 2022, Dr. Hetzler was named Vice Chair of LSU’s Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.
Clinically, Dr. Hetzler’s interests include facial reanimation for individuals suffering from facial paralysis. Surgical management of these patients include direct nerve repairs, nerve grafting, and cranial nerve transposition techniques utilizing the trigeminal nerve, hypoglossal nerve, and cross facial nerve grafts. For long standing facial paralysis or patients after large cancer surgeries, gracilis muscle can be used as a free muscle transfer.
In 2017, Dr. Hetzler and Dr. Sara MacDowell, DPT founded the Facial Nerve Disorders Multidisciplinary Clinic for care following facial nerve injury and recovery. The clinic offers, multidisciplinary, individualized assessments, advanced facial retraining therapy, and botulinum toxin injections to optimize recovery. Leveraging high patient volumes from our Head and Neck Oncology, Skull Base, and Neurotology practices—along with strong partnerships with Neurosurgery and Neurology— the team has developed evidence-based medical and surgical protocols for facial paralysis. Innovations in facial synkinesis management include selective neurectomy (cutting nerves) or myectomy (cutting of muscles) for the DAO, platysma, or orbicularis oculi.
Dr. Hetzler’s clinical interests also include cleft lip, cleft palate, and congenital deformity management and surgery. She is the founder and co-director of the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Cleft and Craniofacial team. Under Dr Hetzler’s guidance, the cleft team has been designated by the ACPA since 2015. Dr. Hetzler avidly participates in humanitarian missions around the world including China, South and Central America as part of cleft lip and palate surgical teams.
Dr. Hetzler’s practice is based out of Baton Rouge at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, where she also manages a variety of facial aesthetic and reconstructive concerns. These include patients requesting age related facial rejuvenation surgery such as facelifts and blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, and reconstruction for skin cancer of the head and neck, victims of facial trauma, as well as scar revision.
Dr. Hetzler’s research interests include facial nerve recovery and reanimation, cleft repair outcomes, and speech results following cleft surgery.
Dr. Hetzler sees patients at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center at the following location:
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Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Center |