Challenges in Plastic Surgery

Abstract

The plastic surgeon is concerned not only with saving lives and restoring function: his role may actually alter a patient’s entire perspective on life. Deformities of a congenital or acquired form can interfere with a person’s natural growth and ability to accept his place in the environment. This can be as crippling as any disease known. The plastic surgeon who succeeds in restoring normal appearance and function is often rewarded by witnessing the restoration of normal behavior as well. The operating nurse, working with the plastic surgical team, can enjoy the unique opportunity of sharing the enormous gratification resulting from this form of restorative surgery. The field can be roughly divided into four areas: 1) the correction of congenital deformities, 2) the repair of trauma, 3) reconstruction of post-surgical defects, and 4) esthetic surgery. To illustrate the scope and potential of this form of surgery, let us consider several cases.