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Frequently Asked Questions: Plastic Surgery / General
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Overview of Plastic
Surgery What is Plastic Surgery ? Plastic Surgery is a specialist surgical craft involved
in the restoration or improvement of human form and function. This
speciality is dedicated to reconstruction of facial and body defects due
to birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. The art and science of
plastic surgery is also involved with the enhancement of the appearance
of a person through such operations as facelift, blepheroplasty,
rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, breast reduction, and liposuction. What
is Cosmetic Surgery? Cosmetic surgery means procedures to improve appearance.
It is also known as "aesthetic" surgery. The word
"cosmetic" has come from Greek word "Cosmetikos"
means to decorate. Cosmetic surgery like Augmentation and reduction of
breast, correction of Nose deformities & Ugly scars, Reduction of
fat from thighs and abdomen, Face lift, Surgery for baggy eye lids, Acne
marks & Pigmented marks, as well as Hair transplantation can
enormously improve the patient's quality of life. What is the difference between cosmetic and
reconstructive surgery? Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal
structures of the body in order to improve the patient's appearance and
self-esteem Reconstructive surgery is performed to restore shape and
function on abnormal structures or defects of the body, caused by birth
defects, trauma, cancer, hand injury or burns. Why the "Plastic" in Plastic
Surgery? The word "plastic" comes from the Greek word
plastikos, meaning "to mold or shape." Many of the first
plastic surgeries were developed to close a difficult wound
or replace tissue lost due to injury or cancer.
These procedures often
involved the formation of a skin flap to reshape or mold the
defect so as to approximate the original shape. What are the avenues of plastic surgery? Plastic surgery covers a very large field and can be
considered under the following clinical areas. Congenital Anomalies: Cleft lip, Cleft palate, Hypospadias (Abnormality of
genitalia), Syndactyly(Joined fingers), Ear deformities, Birth marks,
Nevus etc. Maxillo Facial Surgery: Fracture of upper & lower jaws, nose etc.,
Restricted mouth opening, Deviated jaws etc. Hand Surgery: Fracture
of hand bones, Cut tendons, nerves, Crushed or injured hand, Paralysis
of hand muscles etc. Burns: Treatment
of acute burns, Correction of post burns deformities. Micro Vascular surgery: Rejoining amputated fingers and hand, Coverage of defect
caused by cancer excision, trauma etc. Cosmetic Surgery: Augmentation and reduction of breast, Nose deformities,
Ugly scars, Reduction of fat from thighs and abdomen, Face lift, Surgery
for baggy eye lids, Acne marks, Pigmented marks, Hair transplantation,
Laser surgery etc. Other reconstructive surgery: Non-healing ulcers, Bed sore, Diabetic foot,
Reconstruction of breast, Elephantiasis etc. What
is the Indian Contribution? The oldest Plastic Surgery operations probably relate to
nasal reconstruction. In India, Sushruta (600 B.C) performed operations
using forehead skin to reconstruct noses, which had been amputated as
punishment for criminals. He also described operations for ear lobe
reconstruction, cesarean section, cataract removal, & kidney stone
removal. He invented so many instruments. He is known as the Father
of Ancient Plastic Surgery. |
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