Plastic surgery

Plastic Surgery Complications Plastic surgery is a branch of surgery that is majoring in reconstruction and repair of damaged or missing tissue and skin. Such damages in the skin can be as a result of injury, illness, prior surgery, or abnormality from birth. The main aim of plastic surgery is to restore the functionality of the tissues as close to the way they were before damage.

Many confuse plastic surgery with a cosmetic procedure! However, plastic surgery is different from cosmetic surgery since cosmetic surgery is used only to change health appearance of a person to achieve a more desirable look.

Why do you want plastic surgery?

Plastic surgery is no longer taboo. According to recent statistics, more than 11 million people in the U.S. had plastic surgery in 2015. Plastic surgery is vitally important for people with damaged tissues and can help one recover confidence and self-esteem. There are different conditions or situations that would require plastic surgery and a variety of surgical procedures can be used.

Some of these conditions are outlined below: Conditions present at birth Plastic surgery can be used to repair or correct defects attained before birth. These defects are called congenital defects. They include:      

Birthmarks- Birthmarks include haemangiomas which are mainly caused by problems with blood vessels.

Ear Problems- Absence of or very small ears.

Hand problems- They include conditions such as webbed fingers, webbed feet, and too few or too many fingers.

Plate or cleft lip- This is a birth defect that affects the mouth roof and the top lip Craniosynostosis- This is a rare defect that that causes infants to be born with abnormally shaped heads.

Hypospadias- This is a condition in men where a baby is born with the urethra on the penis underside.

Conditions that develop later in life Plastic surgery can also be used to repair or reconstruct damaged tissues cause by lifetime problems. Such problems include:

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Cancer- After removal of cancerous tissue. Plastic surgery is needed to improve the appearance of the site.

Trauma- Plastic surgery can be used to repair tissues damaged by severe fractures that break the skin and also big/severe wounds.

Severe burns- Skin damaged due to extensive burns can be corrected to improve the appearance.

Infection- Plastic surgery can also be used to repair or remove dead tissue from an infected site Other conditions- other conditions that can be repaired through plastic surgery include facial palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, pressure ulcers, carpal tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren’s contracture.

Surgical procedure men and women Plastic surgical procedures for men and women are the same except for the organs that are specific for women and vice versa. Before having plastic surgery, you are required to consult a plastic surgeon who will explain to you in detail of what to expect during the procedure.

In the past, plastic surgery was confined to skin graft but nowadays procedure such as flap surgery and tissue expansion is used. These techniques are as discussed below: Skin graft Skin graft is a surgical procedure where healthy tissue is taken from other body parts to replace damaged skin. Grafts can be used large wounds and bone fractures that break the skin. Main types of skin graft include: 

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Split thickness skin graft- This is a skin graft that is performed on the epidermis and small part of the dermis. The areas of the skin are removed and left to heal without stitches. The skin for this graft can be taken from upper arm, buttock and thigh.

Full thickness skin graft- This is a skin graft where the top layer of the skin and all the layers underneath it are removed and the area closed with stitches to heal. Skin can be removed from the neck, upper arm and behind the ear.

During skin grafting, you are given a local or general anesthesia to reduce pain during the procedure.

Tissue Expansion This is a procedure that induces the body to grow extra skin by simply stretching the surrounding tissues. The extra skin can then be used to repair the nearby area. Tissue expansion can be used in repairing large wounds and in breast reconstruction. An expander is used to

stretch the skin under general anesthesia. Once the skin has expanded enough, a second operation is used to remove the expander and then reposition the new tissue. This procedure ensures that the repaired skin is similar in color and texture as the original skin.

Flap Surgery This is a surgical procedure that involves transfer of living tissue from one part of the body to the other. Flap surgery can be used for reasons such as breast reconstruction, improvement of lip palates and repair of large wounds. Flap surgery allows maintenance of blood flow and supply meaning there are low chances of graft failure.

General or local anesthesia can be used depending on the size and location of the flap.

Plastic Surgery Risks and Complications Just like any other type of surgery, there are also complications and risks linked to plastic surgery. The extent of risk may depend on a number of factors such as the size and shape or the surgical tissue and the person’s overall health. General risks associated with some cosmetic procedures include:    

Scarring Infection Tissue failure due to restricted blood supply Discomfort caused by pain

Complications Complications that are associated with plastic surgery include:      

Scarring- Scars are likely to appear where incisions were made during surgery. Scars fade and disappear with time.

Pain- Severe pain may be experienced and may require use of pain killers Bleeding- Severe bleeding that may require blood transfusion can be experienced Infection- Infection in the site of plastic surgery may require further surgery or use of antibiotics.

Implant failure- An implant used during the surgical procedure can leak and change in shape requiring further surgery.

Graft failure- Flap or graft failure can occur after the tissue die due to poor blood supply.

If this happens, corrective surgery is required to remove the dead tissue and replace it with a new one.