Introduction Head and neck reconstruction presents unique challenges to the reconstructive surgeon. Because of the visibility of this region, defects are often difficult to conceal and the demands on the surgeon's reconstructive skills are greater than they are elsewhere in…
Introduction In recent years, robotic surgery has grown to dominate minimally invasive applications in the various surgical subspecialties. The currently available robotic surgical platform (da Vinci, Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) consists of two integrated subsystems: a surgeon console and a…
Introduction Up until recently, lymphedema has largely remained on the sidelines of microsurgery. For many years, most microsurgeons avoided lymphatic reconstruction because of inconsistent results, lack of published data, and concerns regarding safety in a poorly understood disease process. Fortunately,…
Introduction “Don't cut what you don't see!” This rule mandates large incisions and wide open surgical exposure to safely dissect aponeurotomic fibers and release restrictive scars or fascial structures. “Borrow from Peter to pay Paul.” This fundamental principle of flap…
Introduction Tissue engineering represents an interdisciplinary field, a forum where the principles of biomaterial engineering, the molecular biology of cells and genes, and the clinical sciences interact intensively through the combined efforts of scientists, engineers, and clinicians. Tissue engineering attempts…
Introduction Flap prefabrication and prelamination are distinct techniques designed to address complex reconstructive needs. While these techniques are generally not primary reconstructive options, their usage has increased in response to demands for more sophisticated reconstructive efforts. In reconstructive surgery, a…
Introduction In recent years, surgeons have taken advantage of various technologies to aid in microvascular free flap reconstructions. In this chapter, we discuss the use of virtual surgical planning and rapid prototype modeling for use in craniofacial reconstructions with vascularized…
Introduction A meticulous preoperative problem analysis leading to the selection of the proper strategy for solving the given wound, defect, or deformity can be a difficult task, yet certainly as critical as the actual surgical procedure that may be required.…
Introduction A Brief History of Flaps The history of plastic surgery is in many ways a recapitulation of the history and corresponding evolution of flaps ( Fig. 2.1 ). The earliest flaps were, as would be considered today, random skin…
History of Reconstructive Surgery As one of my professors, the late Bradford Cannon, noted, the field of plastic surgery, unlike most other surgical specialties, has no anatomic or functional area to which it can lay claim; the plastic surgeon practices…