plastic surgery, surgical repair of congenital or acquired deformities and the restoration of contour to improve the appearance and function of tissue defects. Development of this specialized branch of surgery received impetus from the need to repair gross deformities sustained in World War I World War I, 1914–18, also known as the Great War, conflict, chiefly in Europe, among most of the great Western powers. It was the largest war the world had yet seen.
..... Click the link for more information. . By the grafting of tissue or the use of artificial materials such as silicone silicone, polymer in which atoms of silicon and oxygen alternate in a chain; various organic radicals, such as the methyl group, CH₃, are bound to the silicon atoms.
..... Click the link for more information. , some remarkable restorations have become possible. Severe burns and the removal of fairly extensive skin cancers skin cancer, malignant tumor of the skin . The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Rarer forms include mycosis fungoides (a type of lymphoma) and Kaposi's sarcoma .
..... Click the link for more information. leave scars that must be covered by skin grafts; breast reconstruction after mastectomy mastectomy (măstĕk`təmē), surgical removal of breast tissue, usually done as treatment for breast cancer .
..... Click the link for more information. is another application.

In addition to correcting a disfigurement, plastic surgery is often needed to restore vital movement and function of tissues that have been destroyed. It is also performed for purely cosmetic purposes, such as improving the shape of a nose, bringing outstanding ears closer to the head, or lifting the skin to erase wrinkles, and the term cosmetic surgery is often used to refer to such surgical procedures. Modern plastic surgeons often employ CAT scans CAT scan (kăt) [computerized axial t
..... Click the link for more information. to produce computer-generated images that are used to plan or simulate complex reconstructive surgeries.

plastic surgery

Surgery to correct disfigurement, restore function, or improve appearance. It may involve reshaping or moving tissues to fill a depression, cover a wound, or improve appearance. Cosmetic surgery solely to improve appearance is not the main focus of plastic surgery. It is utilized after disfigurement by burns or tumour removal or for reconstructive work, and it may involve hiding incisions in skin folds or using buried sutures to hold wounds closed. Reconstructive plastic surgery corrects severe functional impairments, fixes physical abnormalities, and compensates for tissue lost to trauma or surgery. Microsurgery and computerized diagnostic imaging techniques have revolutionized the field.

plastic surgery

the branch of surgery concerned with therapeutic or cosmetic repair or re-formation of missing, injured, or malformed tissues or parts

plastic surgery [′plas·tik ′sər·jə·rē]

(medicine)

Surgical repair, replacement, or alteration of lost, injured, or deformed parts of the body by transfer of tissue.

plastic surgery (redirected from reconstructive surgery)

plastic surgery

plastic surgery
(redirected from reconstructive surgery)