Plastic Surgery

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. The popularity of the…

A major nerve injury can be devastating for the patient and full functional capability may never be regained, particularly when the injury occurs in adulthood. Conversely, children tend to recover much faster and experience better…

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…

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…

The brachial plexus is formed from the connections of the spinal nerves arising from the vertebrae C5 to T1. Once they leave the arise from the spinal roots, these major nerves branch into a complex…

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,…

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…

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…