Plastic surgery

Plastic surgery is "an extremely diverse surgical specialty whose chief purpose is to restore form and function".(reference for quote:John L. Burns, M. D. , Steven J. Blackwell, M. D.,Chapter 72 – Plastic Surgery, in: Townsend: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 17th ed., Copyright © 2004 Saunders, An Imprint of Elsevier)

The word "plastic" derives from the Greek plastikos meaning to mold or to shape; its use here is not connected with modern plastics.

Plastic surgery is unusual among modern surgical specialties because the entire body, with the exception of the Central Nervous System, is potentially within the province of the General Plastic Surgeon. Besides general plastics, there are regional specialties such as facial plastic surgery and ophthalmologic (eye) plastic surgery. Whether general or regional, plastic surgery includes two broad types of surgery. These types are divided on the basis of the purpose of the surgery.

• Reconstructive surgery, including microsurgery, focuses on undoing or masking deformities from trauma, surgery or disease.
• Cosmetic (or aesthetic) surgery is performed in order to change features the patient finds unflattering.

History

The history of Plastic Surgery reaches back to the ancient world. Understanding the development of the field helps clarify what procedures and techniques fall into the realm of modern plastic surgery. Before the 20th Century, there was little ability for any surgeon to offer anesthesia during an operation or to combat infection after one. All surgery was painful and fraught with a high risk of complications and death. It is not suprising then, that the first operations in plastic surgery were reconstructive.

The Romans were able to perform simple techniques such as repairing damaged ears from around the 1st century BC.

Physicians in ancient India including the great Indian surgeon Susrutha were utilizing skin grafts for reconstructive work as early as the 8th century BC. His work Sushruta Samhita describes rhinoplasty and otoplasty. This knowledge of plastic surgery existed in India up to the late 18th century as can be seen from the reports published in Gentleman's Magazine (October 1794). [1] [2]

In mid-15th century Europe, Heinrich von Pfolspeundt described a process "to make a new nose for one who lacks it entirely, and the dogs have devoured it" by removing skin from the back of the arm and suturing it in place. However, because of the dangers associated with surgery in any form, especially that involving the head or face, it was not until the 19th and 20th centuries that such surgeries became commonplace.

The U.S.'s first plastic surgeon was Dr. John Peter Mettauer. He performed the first cleft palate operation in 1827 with instruments that he designed himself. The New Zealander Sir Harold Gillies developed many of the techniques of modern plastic surgery in caring for those who suffered facial injuries in World War I, he is considered to be the father of modern plastic surgery. His work was expanded upon during World War II by one of his former students and cousin, Archibald McIndoe, who pioneered treatments for RAF aircrew suffering from severe burns. McIndoe's radical, experimental treatments, lead to the formation of the Guinea Pig Club.

Common reconstructive surgeries are: breast reconstruction for women who have had a mastectomy, cleft lip and palate surgery, contracture surgery for burn survivors, and closing skin and mucosa defects after removal of tumors in the head and neck region. Sex reassignment surgery for transsexual people is another example of reconstructive surgery.

Although wound closure is a part of every type of surgery that requires an incision, plastic surgery has had a strong focus on optimal techniques of skin closure and the repair of open wounds. Plastic surgeons have developed the use of microsurgery to transfer tissue for coverage of a defect when no local tissue is available. Tissue "flaps" comprised of skin, muscle, bone, fat or a combination, may be removed from the body, moved to another site on the body and reconnected to a blood supply by suturing arteries and veins as small as 1-2 mm in diameter.

Cosmetic surgery

Until advancements in medicine allowed some surgical procedures to be low risk, cosmetic surgery was not a reasonable undertaking by either surgeon or patient.

Cosmetic surgery is a very popular avenue for personal enhancement, as demonstrated by the 11.9 million cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. alone in 2004. As for any operation, cosmetic procedures involve risk, and should therefore not be undertaken lightly. Within the US, critics of plastic surgery note that it is legal for any doctor, regardless of speciality, to perform "cosmetic surgery", but not "plastic surgery". It is thus important to distinguish the terms "plastic surgery" and "cosmetic surgery": Plastic Surgery is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (the only official entity overseeing physician certification in the United States) as the subspecialty dedicated to the surgical repair of defects of form or function -- this includes cosmetic (or aesthetic) surgery, as well as reconstructive surgery. The term "cosmetic surgery" however, simply refers to surgery that is designed to improve cosmetics, or appearance. (One could argue that reconstructive surgery always has some cosmetic aspect to it, because form and function are often both important in plastic surgery repairs.) Thus there is no real art of "cosmetic surgery": it is a catch-all commercial phrase that laypeople understand easily and non-plastic surgeons eagerly use because they are not allowed to use the term "plastic surgery".

See also

• microsurgery
• breast reconstruction, Breast reduction, Breast implant, Breast lift
• Operation Good Samaritan[3]
• Operation Smile
• Body modification
• Botox
• Dr. 90210
• Extreme Makeover
• Nip/Tuck

External links

• The American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
• The American Board of Plastic Surgery
• Emedicine's History of Plastic Surgery entry