Any operation carried out to repair or reconstruct skin and tissue that has been damaged or lost, is malformed, or has changed with aging. Plastic surgery is often performed after severe burns or injuries, cancer, or some operations, such as mastectomy. Congenital conditions that may require plastic surgery include cleft lip and palate, hypospadias, and imperforate anus (see anus, imperforate). Techniques include skin grafts, skin flaps, and Z-plasty; these may be combined with implants or a bone graft. Microsurgery allows transfer of tissue to other parts of the body. (See also cosmetic surgery.)
Plastic surgery |
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