Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine

Reconstructive surgery

Reconstructive surgery is often performed on cancer patients as well as on burn and accident victims. It may involve there building of severely fractured bones, as well as skin grafting. Reconstructive surgery includes such procedures as their attachment of an amputated finger or toe, or implanting a prosthesis.

Prostheses are artificial structures and materials that are used to replace missing limbs or teeth, or arthritic hip and knee joints.

In cancer patients, reconstructive surgery is done to restore the function as well as the appearance of the face and other parts of the body. The most commonly performed reconstructive surgeries of cancer patients are breast reconstruction, laceration repair, scar revision, and tumor removal.

The most challenging area of reconstructive surgery involves the structures of the face, neck, and jaw because trauma or cancer treatments often affect the patient's ability to see, eat, taste, swallow, speak, and hear as well as his or her external appearance. The surgeon must try to retain as much sensation as possible when performing skin or bone grafts in the head and neck as well as recreate a reasonably normal appearance.