Plastic surgery is one of the oldest branches of surgery - its age is measured in thousands of years.
Reconstructive surgical procedures in contemporary sense were carried out already in Ancient India. The first written indications of reconstructive surgical procedures originate from Ancient India, as well. The term plastic surgery has been derived from the Greek word plastikos, which means to change, form or mold.
Plastic and reconstructive surgery are defined as multidisciplinary branches of surgery aimed at reconstructing lost form and function. The defective form or function may be both congenital or developmental.
Plastic surgery can be divided into 5 areas:
- reconstructive plastic surgery
- surgery of burns in acute phase
- congenital abnormalities surgery
- hand surgery
- cosmetic surgery
The main fields of reconstructive plastic surgery are:
Correction of developmental defects and deformities for example:
- correction of defects and deformities resulting from mechanical traumas
- surgery of thermal traumas in acute phase
- correction of residual symptoms of thermal traumas
- traumatic amputations and correction of their residual symptoms
- correction of congenital abnormalities and defects of the hand
- correction of defects caused by soft tissue blood flow disorder
- correction of defects resulting from bedsores
- correction of upper and lower limb lymphostasis
- medically indicated reduction surgery
- surgical treatment of soft tissue tumors
Correction of birth defects and deformities for example:
- deformities of the hand
- soft tissue deformities
- soft tissue tumors
- thoracic deformities
Cosmetic plastic surgery
Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body with the aim of improving the patient’s appearance and self- esteem. The procedures are usually not medically indicated. In developed countries the share of cosmetic surgery among all surgical procedures reaches 15 to 20%.
Main cosmetic surgery procedures include:
- Facelift: improving sagging facial skin and loose neck skin by removing excess fat, tightening muscles and redraping skin
- Ear surgery: setting protruding ears back closer to the head
- Eyelid surgery: removal excess skin
- Breast enlargement: inserting a silicone implant under mammary gland or pectoral muscle (mainly done when breasts sag after pregnancy or are too small)
- Breast reduction: small breasts usually cause no physical complaints but large breasts are often accompanied by back and neck pains and sometimes also deformities of spine (the procedure includes reduction of the breast size and reshaping the breast)
- Liposuction: removal of excess fat with a tube and a vacuum device
- Abdominoplasty: removal excess fat and skin
- Redundant skin on extremities: removal of redundant skin and fat from upper arms and thighs