According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there are over one million reconstructive surgeries performed each year. Reconstructive surgery differs from cosmetic plastic surgery because the operation is done to repair or reshape the body to a state that is consistent with cosmetic norms. Reconstructive surgery is most often performed on birth defects, deformations caused by various injuries, and deformation caused by disease. Reconstructive surgery’s main goal is to improve bodily functions and make the anatomy appear more normal.

Types of Surgery

The act of reconstructive surgery can be divided into surgery on developmental deformities and surgery on congenital deformities. Developmental deformities are distortions of the human anatomy that were caused by traumatic accidents or severe injuries. These developmental deformities can also be caused by various diseases that diminish the body over time. Congenital deformities can be abnormalities such as webbed fingers, extra fingers, or breast deformations. They can also be cleft-lips, birthmarks, and other palate deformities.

Procedures

Each patient requires different types of surgical procedures depending on the type of deformation and the cosmetic goal that is to be achieved. The plastic surgeon must take into account the severity, size, and different features of each reconstructive surgery patient. Procedures include skin grafts, advanced wound care, and tissue expansion.

Skin Grafts

Skin grafts are the surgical process of applying an area of healthy skin that has been surgically harvested from one region of the body and is then used to cover the wound or deformity. This region where healthy skin was harvested is called the donor site and provides the skin that is used to cover the deformed area. Skin grafts are divided into three methods; split-thickness skin graft, composite graft, and full-thickness skin graft. The split-thickness skin graft is almost always used for patients with burn injuries. This procedure only uses the surface layer of skin. The donor site skin will usually grow back lighter in color than before.

Composite grafts are a more in-depth procedure that requires the surgeon to use several layers of skin to repair the damaged area. In many cases, the surgeon will have to lift all the layers of skin, fat, and cartilage from the donor site. This procedure is often used for more serious diseases, such as repairing the human anatomy after cancer deformation. The final type of skin graft is a full-thickness skin graft. This procedure is most often used to repair severe burns. The surgeon will lift all layers of skin from the donor site. Both the full-thickness and composite grafts will leave a thin scar across the donor site after surgery.