Synopsis ■ Microsurgery and supermicrosurgery refers to the surgical coaptation of small vessels, usually around 1 mm in diameter or smaller, under microscope magnification. Microsurgery is a broad term not only limited to blood vessels but also refers to coaptation…
Synopsis ■ Flap is tissue(s) with its own vascular supply, allowing transfer from one site to another. ■ Flaps come in various forms, shapes, and function. They may be composed of a simple skin tissue or multiple composite tissues. ■…
Synopsis ■ This chapter provides an overview of the angiosome concept and reviews the vascular anatomy of the body. The historical perspective summarizes the major progress in understanding the vascular basis and clinical applications of flaps in reconstructive surgery. ■…
Synopsis ■ Fat grafting is an important technique for tissue repair and/or augmentation in both reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery. ■ Fat grafting can be used as a minimally invasive adjunct to restore volume and rejuvenate tissues lost secondary to…
Synopsis ■ Primary neurorrhaphy remains the gold standard in nerve repair; all other methods of repair are judged in comparison to primary neurorrhaphy. ■ Excessive tension will inhibit nerve regeneration, however a small amount of tension to achieve primary coaptation…
Synopsis ■ This chapter will concentrate on the principles and concepts of bone repair, grafting, and reconstruction. ■ The embryology, physiology, microanatomy, and histochemistry of bone will be reviewed. ■ Principles of mechanotransduction and cellular mechanisms of bone turnover will…
Access video and video lecture content for this chapter online at Elsevier eBooks+ Introduction Cartilage is one kind of connective tissue, which is mainly composed of chondrocytes and their produced extracellular matrices (ECM) of type II collagen fibers, proteoglycans, and…
Introduction The field of tissue engineering embodies, like few other areas of scientific endeavor, the principles, aspirations, and the techniques of plastic surgery. However, the “boom time” promise of the early “frontier” tissue engineers and their pioneering endeavors have not…
Synopsis ■ Human skin is a highly complex trilaminar structure with a plethora of emergent properties critical to health and survival. ■ Skin grafts are key to restoring cutaneous integrity after complex burn and polytrauma. ■ The history of skin…
Synopsis ■ Mammalian skin healing is a complex orchestrated process that results in scar formation. Scars are problems that arise in all areas of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. As scars can cause a huge psychological and physical burden for patients,…