100+ Free ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Practice Questions
Pass your ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Certification Examination exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
Which branch of the facial nerve, when injured, has the LEAST potential for spontaneous recovery and is therefore considered most critical to identify and protect during parotidectomy?
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Key Facts: ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Exam
~200
Total MCQ Items
ABPS Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Examination
~6-8 hr
Total Exam Time
1-day computer-based test including breaks
~$2,200
2026 Subspecialty Fee
ABPS (verify current schedule)
ABMS
Recognized Subspecialty
Co-sponsored by ABPS and ABOHNS as an official ABMS subspecialty
Fellowship
Required Training
ACGME-accredited craniofacial or head and neck plastic surgery fellowship
~80-90%
First-Time Pass Rate
ABPS subspecialty statistics (fellowship-trained candidates)
ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck is a 1-day computer-based subspecialty certification exam from the American Board of Plastic Surgery (co-sponsored ABMS subspecialty with ABOHNS) comprising ~200 single-best-answer MCQs. Content spans facial anatomy and trauma (~18-22%), cleft lip and palate (~12-15%), pediatric craniofacial including craniosynostosis (~10-12%), rhinoplasty (~10%), facial reconstruction of Mohs and oncologic defects (~10-12%), head and neck oncologic free flap reconstruction (~12-14%), orthognathic surgery (~6-8%), facelift and blepharoplasty (~6-8%), microtia and ear reconstruction (~5-7%), salivary gland surgery (~3-5%), and scar revision and keloids (~3-5%). Subspecialty fee is ~$2,200; requires ABPS primary certification and an accredited craniofacial or related fellowship plus concentrated head and neck practice.
Sample ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which branch of the facial nerve, when injured, has the LEAST potential for spontaneous recovery and is therefore considered most critical to identify and protect during parotidectomy?
2The temporal branch of the facial nerve courses within which fascial plane as it crosses the zygomatic arch?
3The SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) of the face is continuous superiorly with which structure?
4Which artery is the primary blood supply to the paramedian forehead flap used in nasal reconstruction?
5Sensation to the lower lip and chin is supplied by which nerve?
6Per the classic Dingman and Grabb cadaver study, what percentage of the time does the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve travel BELOW the inferior border of the mandible posterior to the facial artery?
7The white roll of the lip refers to which anatomic structure?
8A Le Fort II fracture is characterized by which fracture pattern?
9Which is the most commonly fractured anatomic location of the mandible in adults?
10A 9-year-old child presents after blunt facial trauma with persistent vomiting, bradycardia, severely restricted upgaze, and minimal external soft-tissue findings. CT shows a small linear orbital floor fracture. What is the most appropriate next step?
About the ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Exam
The ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Certification Examination is an ABMS subspecialty co-sponsored by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS), issued by ABPS for plastic surgery diplomates who completed an accredited fellowship and demonstrate concentrated practice in head and neck plastic surgery. Content spans facial anatomy (facial nerve, SMAS, vascular territories), craniofacial trauma (Le Fort, mandible, orbital, NOE, frontal sinus), cleft lip and palate (Millard, Furlow, alveolar bone graft, NAM, VPI), microtia and ear reconstruction (Brent/Nagata, Antia-Buch, prominent ear correction), rhinoplasty (spreader grafts, internal valve, cleft and revision), facial reconstruction of Mohs and oncologic defects (Burget subunits, paramedian forehead, Karapandzic, cervicofacial), orthognathic surgery (BSSO, Le Fort I, distraction, genioplasty), facelift and blepharoplasty (deep plane, transconjunctival, ectropion prevention), head and neck oncologic free flap reconstruction (fibula, ALT, radial forearm, scapular system, jejunum), pediatric craniofacial surgery (craniosynostosis, syndromic FGFR2/TWIST1/TCOF1, hemifacial microsomia, ISSVA vascular anomalies), salivary gland surgery (parotidectomy, Frey syndrome, mucoepidermoid carcinoma), and scar revision and keloid management.
Questions
200 scored questions
Time Limit
1-day CBT (~6-8 hours including breaks)
Passing Score
Criterion-referenced scaled score set by ABPS (modified Angoff standard)
Exam Fee
~$2,200 Subspecialty Certification fee (ABPS 2026 — verify current schedule) (American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) — co-sponsored ABMS subspecialty with ABOHNS / Pearson VUE)
ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Exam Content Outline
Facial Anatomy & Craniofacial Trauma
Facial nerve branches and danger zones (Pitanguy line, marginal mandibular per Dingman-Grabb), SMAS and temporoparietal fascia, sensory nerves (supratrochlear, infraorbital, mental, great auricular at McKinney's point), Le Fort I/II/III, ZMC tripod fractures, mandible (subcondylar most common; Zide ORIF criteria), white-eyed pediatric blowout (urgent within 24-48 hr), NOE Markowitz I/II/III with telecanthus, frontal sinus (anterior/posterior table, nasofrontal outflow), panfacial sequencing (bottom-up, inside-out), septal hematoma I&D.
Cleft Lip & Palate
Millard rotation-advancement and Tennison-Randall for cleft lip; Rule of Tens (≥10 weeks, ≥10 lb, Hgb ≥10 g/dL); Furlow double-opposing Z, von Langenbeck, two-flap palatoplasty; greater palatine artery pedicle; secondary alveolar bone graft at mixed dentition (8-11 yr) before canine eruption; VPI work-up and procedure selection (pharyngeal flap vs sphincter pharyngoplasty vs Furlow conversion); Pierre Robin (micrognathia, glossoptosis, airway); NAM (Grayson) at 1-2 weeks; multifactorial recurrence ~4%.
Pediatric Craniofacial & Craniosynostosis
Single-suture synostosis (sagittal scaphocephaly most common ~50%, metopic trigonocephaly, coronal plagio/brachycephaly, lambdoid); endoscopic strip + helmet at 3-4 mo vs open vault remodeling at 9-12 mo; syndromic FGFR2 (Crouzon, Apert, Pfeiffer), Apert mitten syndactyly, Treacher Collins TCOF1, Saethre-Chotzen TWIST1; OMENS hemifacial microsomia and Pruzansky-Kaban mandible; positional vs lambdoid (parallelogram vs trapezoid); midline nasal mass MRI before biopsy; ISSVA — propranolol for IH; multisuture/syndromic ICP risk.
Rhinoplasty
Anderson's three major tip support mechanisms; spreader grafts to restore middle vault and open internal nasal valve (~10-15° normal); columellar strut and septal extension grafts; polly-beak and inverted-V deformity; nasal valves (internal — caudal upper lateral, dorsal septum, inferior turbinate, floor; external — alar margin); cleft secondary rhinoplasty deferred to skeletal maturity; Asian dorsal augmentation with autologous costal cartilage (Gibson concentric carving to mitigate warping).
Facial Reconstruction (Mohs, Trauma, Oncologic Defects)
Burget-Menick subunit principle (>50% → reconstruct entire subunit); paramedian forehead flap on supratrochlear artery (~1.7-2.2 cm from midline); pedicle division at ~3 weeks (or 3-stage Menick at 6-7 weeks); Karapandzic for ≤60-80% lower lip defects; Estlander/Abbe/Bernard-Webster; cervicofacial advancement-rotation; bilobed Zitelli ~100-110° total; Tenzel and Mustardé eyelid; Hughes tarsoconjunctival; septal mucoperichondrial hinge flap (septal branch of superior labial); Orticochea scalp; galeotomies.
Head & Neck Oncologic Free Flap Reconstruction
Free fibula (peroneal artery; up to ~25 cm; 3-vessel runoff CTA); ALT (descending branch LCFA, ~85% musculocutaneous through vastus lateralis); radial forearm (Allen test mandatory); scapular/parascapular system (circumflex scapular, chimeric subscapular); facial artery most common recipient; venous thrombosis most common cause of failure; total glossectomy bulky ALT/rectus; Brown class IIb maxillectomy; tubed RFFF/ALT vs jejunum (jejunum gurgling speech); ORN Notani III → segmental + free fibula; Marx HBO protocol; VSP and patient-specific guides.
Orthognathic Surgery
BSSO (inferior alveolar nerve risk; neurosensory disturbance ~30-85% temporary, ~10-30% persistent); Le Fort I osteotomy above root apices (descending palatine artery, AVN of segments); distraction osteogenesis (latency 5-7 d, rate 1 mm/day, consolidation ~6-8 wk); sliding genioplasty (mental nerve at risk; osteotomy ≥5 mm below mental foramen); Angle classification (Class I — mesiobuccal cusp upper molar in buccal groove of lower); cleft orthognathic before definitive rhinoplasty.
Facelift & Blepharoplasty
Deep-plane facelift releases zygomaticocutaneous and masseteric cutaneous ligaments; SMAS plication, lateral SMASectomy, MACS lift; hematoma most common early complication (~1-15%, men with HTN); great auricular nerve at McKinney's point; temporal branch most commonly injured facial nerve; upper blepharoplasty leaves ≥20 mm to brow; transconjunctival lower bleph reduces ectropion; Frost suture and canthopexy/canthoplasty for laxity; BTX cleaves SNAP-25; HA filler vision loss requires immediate hyaluronidase; tobacco ~12× skin necrosis.
Microtia & Ear Reconstruction
Autologous costal cartilage techniques (Brent ~age 6, Nagata ~age 10) vs Medpor (age 3-4); auricle blood supply (posterior auricular and superficial temporal arteries); Mustardé sutures (recreate antihelical fold) and Furnas conchomastoid for prominent ear; Stenström anterior cartilage scoring; Antia-Buch chondrocutaneous helical advancement (≤2 cm); composite grafts for small defects; microtia association with hemifacial microsomia (OMENS) and Treacher Collins (TCOF1).
Salivary Gland Surgery
Pleomorphic adenoma most common benign parotid tumor (superficial parotidectomy, never enucleate); mucoepidermoid carcinoma most common parotid malignancy in adults (acinic in children; adenoid cystic — perineural/late distant); facial nerve identification (tragal pointer ~1 cm deep/inferior, tympanomastoid suture, posterior belly of digastric); Frey syndrome (auriculotemporal aberrant reinnervation; BTX-A most effective); acute suppurative parotitis (S. aureus in dehydrated postoperative elderly).
Scar Revision & Keloids
Keloid (extends beyond wound, common earlobe/chest/upper back, pigmented skin) vs hypertrophic (within wound, may regress); excision + intralesional triamcinolone + pressure earring + adjuvant low-dose RT for recurrent; Z-plasty lengthening (60° → 75% theoretical); W-plasty/geometric broken line for camouflage without lengthening; RSTLs perpendicular to underlying muscle fibers; silicone sheeting and 5-FU adjuncts; serial excision and tissue expansion for large facial scars.
How to Pass the ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Criterion-referenced scaled score set by ABPS (modified Angoff standard)
- Exam length: 200 questions
- Time limit: 1-day CBT (~6-8 hours including breaks)
- Exam fee: ~$2,200 Subspecialty Certification fee (ABPS 2026 — verify current schedule)
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Examination?
It is the ABMS subspecialty certification examination co-sponsored by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS). The examination is issued by ABPS for diplomates who completed primary certification in plastic surgery, finished an accredited craniofacial or head and neck plastic surgery fellowship, and demonstrate concentrated head and neck practice. Content spans cleft lip and palate, craniofacial trauma and craniosynostosis, rhinoplasty, microtia, facial reconstruction, orthognathic, facelift and blepharoplasty, head and neck oncologic free flap reconstruction, salivary gland surgery, and scar revision.
Who is eligible to take the Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Examination?
ABPS-route candidates must hold valid ABPS Primary Certification in Plastic Surgery, have completed an ACGME-accredited craniofacial or related head and neck fellowship (or equivalent training pathway accepted by ABPS), demonstrate concentrated head and neck plastic surgery practice through case logs, hold a valid unrestricted medical license, and be in good standing with the ABPS Continuing Certification program. ABOHNS-route candidates apply through their primary board. Candidates must adhere to the ABPS Code of Ethics and Professionalism.
What is the format and length of the exam?
The Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Examination is a 1-day computer-based examination administered at Pearson VUE test centers, comprising approximately 200 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions over roughly 6-8 hours including breaks. Items frequently include clinical photographs, CT and 3D craniofacial imaging, intraoperative photos, and pathology specimens. The exam is blueprinted to the joint ABPS-ABOHNS subspecialty content outline and mirrors the depth of fellowship-level practice.
How much does the 2026 subspecialty exam cost?
The 2026 ABPS Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Certification fee is approximately $2,200 — always verify the current schedule on the ABPS examinations page. Cancellation and refund policies follow the published ABPS schedule, with decreasing refunds as the exam date approaches. Retakes require re-registration, full fee payment, and remain subject to the ABPS subspecialty eligibility window. Maintenance of subspecialty certification requires participation in the ABPS Continuing Certification program.
How is the exam scored?
ABPS uses criterion-referenced scaled scoring with a passing standard set by subject-matter experts using the modified Angoff method. A candidate's pass or fail result is based on performance against a fixed cut-score set by content experts, not on a curve relative to other candidates. Score reports include domain-level feedback so that diplomates and fellowship programs can identify content gaps for retake preparation or continuing education.
What are the highest-yield topics for the subspecialty exam?
Highest-yield topics include facial nerve danger zones and SMAS anatomy, Le Fort I/II/III and ZMC fracture management, white-eyed pediatric orbital trapdoor (urgent release within 24-48 hours), Markowitz NOE classification, Millard cleft lip and Furlow palatoplasty, NAM and VPI work-up, FGFR2 syndromic craniosynostosis (Crouzon, Apert, Pfeiffer) and TCOF1 Treacher Collins, sagittal vs metopic vs unicoronal patterns, ISSVA vascular anomalies and propranolol for IH, Burget-Menick subunit principle, paramedian forehead flap pedicle anatomy, free fibula peroneal artery and three-vessel runoff CTA, ALT LCFA descending branch perforators, Frey syndrome and tragal pointer landmark, and keloid combined excision-RT-steroid management.
How should I study for the Within the Head and Neck subspecialty exam?
Use the ABPS-ABOHNS subspecialty content outline as a blueprint. Begin with anatomy (facial nerve, SMAS, vascular territories), then craniofacial trauma, cleft lip and palate, syndromic craniosynostosis, rhinoplasty (functional and cleft), Mohs and oncologic facial reconstruction, head and neck microsurgery (fibula, ALT, RFFF, scapular system), orthognathic surgery, facelift and blepharoplasty, microtia, salivary gland surgery, and scar/keloid management. Integrate Mathes and Hentz, Neligan, Mulliken-Robin's Comprehensive Cleft Care, and ISSVA classification updates with high-volume MCQ practice and fellowship case logs. Complete 1-2 timed full-length mocks.
How does this exam differ from primary ABPS Plastic Surgery certification?
The primary ABPS Plastic Surgery Written Examination is a broad ~250-question test covering all of plastic surgery (breast, hand, flaps, burns, oncology, aesthetics, head and neck, trunk, and lower extremity). The Within the Head and Neck Subspecialty Examination is a focused ~200-question test at fellowship-level depth across head and neck domains only — requiring ABPS primary certification first, then an accredited fellowship and concentrated practice. The subspecialty cert is co-sponsored with ABOHNS and recognized by ABMS as a formal subspecialty.