Reconstructive Surgery

Plastic surgeons perform more than one million reconstructive procedures each year. Reconstructive surgery helps men, women and children of all ages and types, whether their problem is a birth defect, an injury or an age-related condition. The Dept of Plastic Surgery at the University of Kansas can provide a wide variety of reconstructive procedures for patients in the Kansas City area. View the links below for more details on these services.

Breast Reconstruction

Reconstruction of a breast that has been removed due to cancer or other disease is one of the most rewarding surgical procedures available today. New medical techniques and devices have made it possible for surgeons to create a breast that can come close in form and appearance to matching a natural breast.

Implant Breast Reconstruction

Saline and silicone breast implants are commonly used during breast reconstruction surgery. This type of procedure is common among women who wish to have a lower-cost procedure or those who have insufficient tissue for a free flap procedure.

Free Flap Breast Reconstruction

During free flap breast reconstruction, skin, muscle, and fat from the body are disconnected from the blood supply at the donor site and reattached to a blood supply in the recipient site. The surgeon will often need to use special microsurgical techniques to successfully perform this procedure.

TRAM Flap Breast Reconstruction

The TRAM (Transverse Rectus Abdominus Myocutaneous) flap is a breast reconstruction procedure that involves transferring tissues from the abdomen to the breasts without the use of implants. Like other flaps, the TRAM flap can be done as either a pedicle or free flap procedure.

Cleft Lip and Palate

If a child is born with cleft lip and palate, your doctor will probably recommend surgery to repair it. Medical professionals have made great advances in treating children with clefts and can do a lot to help your child lead a normal, healthy, happy life. Children born with a cleft lip or palate may need the skills of several medical professionals to correct the problems associated with the cleft.

Hand Surgery

Major advances have been made treating patients with hand injuries, degenerative disorders, and birth defects of the hand. Plastic surgeons have been at the forefront of these advances, with their interest is improving both function and appearance. Plastic surgeons undergo intensive training in hand surgery, and they treat patients with a wide range of hand problems.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is diagnosed by removing all or part of a skin growth and examining its cells under a microscope. It can be treated by a number of methods, depending on the type of cancer, its stage of growth, and its location on your body.

Tissue Expansion

Tissue expansion is a relatively straightforward procedure that enables the body to "grow" extra skin for use in reconstructing almost any part of the body. A silicone balloon expander is inserted under the skin near the area to be repaired and then gradually filled with salt water over time, causing the skin to stretch and grow.

Scar Revision

Plastic surgeons can often improve the appearance of a scar, making it less obvious through the injection or application of certain steroid medications or through surgical procedures known as scar revisions.

Laser Surgery

Reconstructive surgeons can use a medical laser to remove or diminish skin imperfections or growths with minimum bleeding, bruising, and scarring. A variety of lasers can be used, depending on your goals and your surgeon's recommendation.

Wound Care

Using advanced techniques like skin grafts, tissue expansion or microsurgery, your plastic surgeon can help treat complex wounds, so you can heal with an optimal aesthetic and functional result.