Plastic Surgery

The primary aim of reconstructive plastic surgery is to restore the normal appearance and functioning of disfigured and/or impaired areas of the human body. Craniofacial reconstructive surgery, for example, focuses on face and skull defects. These defects may be congenital (birth) or due to trauma (an injury or wound). Craniofacial surgeons also reconstruct parts of the face deformed by cancer and other diseases. The cleft palate, a split in the bony roof of the mouth that usually runs from the front of the mouth to the back, is one of the most common birth defects corrected by craniofacial plastic surgery.

Vascular, microvascular, and peripheral nerve surgery focuses on reestablishing the complex connections of nerve and blood vessels that may have been severed or otherwise damaged. Plastic surgeons also transplant muscles and tendons from one part of the body to another to restore common functions such as walking or other activities that incorporate these anatomical structures.

Skin grafting is a reconstructive surgical technique that transplants skin from one part of the body to another damaged area where the skin grows again. This technique is used to treat burned or otherwise damaged skin.