Category: Plastic Surgery

A birth injury is defined as any structural damage and/or functional deterioration that occurs in a newborn infant as a direct result of a traumatic event during labour, delivery or both.

Congenital abnormalities are classified as either structural or functional defects. Major defects produce functional impairment requiring treatment, while other abnormalities do not usually require medical intervention to improve function, cosmetic appearance may still be an issue.

Suction-assisted lipectomy, otherwise known as liposuction, is a procedure in which adipose tissue is removed from subcutaneous spaces through a cannula, with the aim of achieving a more desirable body contour.

Peripheral nerve injuries are very common in children and frequently occur following fractures and soft tissue injuries. Children tend to recover much faster than adults and experience better functional results after nerve repair.

Obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) is defined as damage to any nerve that forms part of the brachial plexus. Assessment of OBPI is based on clinical examination and prognosis depends on the the size and severity of the tears, the speed of recovery and the initial clinical management of the injury.

Muscles and tendons (collectively known as musculotendinous units), and nerves are soft tissues that are found throughout the body (see figure 1). Nerves electrically stimulate the muscles, which pull on tendons which move bones – this is how the body is able to move. Injuries to these units are frequent, with the arms, hands and fingers being […]

Burns occur when the body is injured by contact with a number of different agents, including heat, chemicals, electricity or radiation. A scald is also essentially a burn, but specifically one caused by hot liquids or steam (1). Although burn injuries are fairly common (2–4), most are not serious and can be treated in a […]

The nervous system comprises a network of nerves and nerve cells that carry messages between the brain and spinal cord and other parts of the body through a series of chemical and electrical changes. Nerves, which are made up of bundles of fibres, may be classified into one of three types: motor, sensory or a […]

Mr Pundrique Sharma explores one of the reasons for why plastic surgeons face a particularly high risk of litigation – unrealistic patient expectations.

In the paediatric population, plastic surgery is generally used to correct deformities caused by congenital birth defects, tumours or traumatic injuries and to assist in wound management. All plastic surgery is complex and challenging, but surgery in children raises some particular issues that surgeons need to be aware of.

Until recently, evidence in medicolegal cases was collected from physical sources, such as patients’ medical histories, witness statements and expert witnesses. Technological advances mean that other sources of evidence, including social media, CCTV monitoring and GPS tracking, are now available. Many personal injury cases involve insurance companies, who are likely to use these methods of […]

Patients may require limb reconstruction following major trauma, such as a serious accident or natural disaster, or through diseases such as cancer. Regardless of the reason for it, limb salvage attempts to avoid amputation and improve quality of life, both physically and psychologically. While limb reconstruction is often considered to be a subspeciality of orthopaedic […]