Reconstructive Surgery

Breast Reconstruction

back to topTissue Expansion

The most common technique for breast reconstruction combines Tissue Expansion and subsequent insertion of an implant.  Following mastectomy, your surgeon will insert an expander beneath your skin and chest muscle. Through a tiny valve mechanism buried beneath the skin, he will periodically inject a water solution to gradually fill the expander over several months. After the skin over the breast area has stretched enough, the expander will be removed in a second operation and a permanent implant will be inserted. The nipple and the dark skin surrounding it, called the areola, are reconstructed in a subsequent procedure.

back to topFlap Reconstruction

An alternative approach to implant reconstruction involves creation of a skin flap using tissue taken from other parts of the body, such as the back or abdomen. Skin and other tissue is used to recreate the breast mound.

Most breast reconstruction involves a series of procedures that occur over time. Usually, the initial reconstructive operation is the most complex. You will be in the hospital for two to five days.  If implants are used without flaps and reconstruction is done apart from the mastectomy, your recovery time may be less.

back to topGeneral Reconstruction

Reconstructive surgery helps patients of all ages and. The goal of reconstructive surgery is to restore lost form or function.  The problems may be the result of a birth defect, it may be from trauma or from removal of a tumor. 

Some general types of reconstructive surgery include the following:

back to topSkin Grafts

A wound that is large and difficult to close directly may be treated with a skin graft. A skin graft is a patch of healthy skin that is taken from one area of the body and it is used to cover another area where skin is missing or damaged.

back to topAdvanced Wound Care: Flap Surgery/Microsurgery

A flap is a section of living tissue that carries its own blood supply and is moved from one area of the body to another. Flap surgery can restore form and function to areas of the body that have lost skin, fat, muscle movement, and/or skeletal support.

back to topHand Surgery

back to topCarpal Tunnel Syndrome

The carpal tunnel is a passageway through the wrist which carries tendons and the median nerve, a major nerve to the hand.  Compression of this nerve causes numbness and pain in the thumb, index and long fingers. Decompression of the nerve is carried out through a small incision in the hand, usually less than one inch long.  Recovery is quick, 3 to 5 days.

back to topDupuytren's Contracture

Dupuytren's contracture is a disorder of the skin and underlying tissue on the palm side of the hand. Thick bands form that cause nodules in the palm, and also cause progressive flexion of the fingers. Surgery or injections are performed to remove this scar tissue and restore normal hand function.

back to topCongenital Defects

Congenital deformities of the hand can interfere with proper hand growth and function. One of the most common congenital defects is syndactyly, in which two or more fingers are fused together. Surgical correction occurs at ten to twelve months depending on growth of the child.  Other common congenital defects include short, missing, or deformed fingers, immobile tendons, and abnormal nerves or blood vessels.

back to topScar Revision

Scars, whether they're caused by accidents or by surgery, may be unpredictable.  Occasionally, scars must be revised to make them less obvious.  Once a scar is present, it cannot be made to go away completely.  There are techniques plastic surgeons can perform to make them less noticeable.

back to topSkin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 1,000,000 new cases are reported each year and the incidence is rising faster than any other type of cancer. While skin cancers can be found on any part of the body, about 80 percent appear on the face, head, or neck.

Most skin cancers are removed surgically. If the cancer is small, the procedure can be done quickly and easily using local anesthesia. If the cancer is large, however, or if it has spread to the lymph glands or elsewhere in the body, major surgery may be required. Other possible treatments for skin cancer include topical chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs applied to the skin) and MOHS surgery, a special surgical procedure.