Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Plastic Surgery

According to most popular dictionaries the word surgery actually means “Artificial” but when we speak of Plastic surgery in medical terms, there is a huge change in the comprehension of this term. In the term Plastic Surgery “Plastic” is derived from the Greek word “Plastikos” which means to “give shape or mold”.

Let us first discuss a little about the history of Plastic surgery. Whenever we say this term people often confuse it with cosmetic surgery. But this is completely wrong. Evidence of plastic surgery practiced in India is there from 800 B.C. Whereas in Byzantine Empire by 4th century AD surgeons have developed methods that were very similar to Plastic surgery.

More recent developments of Surgery took place in the 18th century when an American Surgeon treated a Cleft Palate with the help of this method. More significant was the introduction of anesthesia. This was a significant development as without anesthesia surgery would never have been accepted as a treatment option in the medical fraternity. Thus this method of treatment became more acceptable when people realize that they can no longer experience pain when surgery is performed as they are made unconscious during the whole process. More advancements were made in surgery when antibiotics were developed Ans sanitary measures were improved.

World War 1 was an important stage for the development of plastic surgery. Thousands of soldiers who were injured and disfigured many portions of their body like eyes, nose, ears were treated with plastic surgery.

With passage of time new techniques and methods of approach for plastic surgery has developed and it has made possible nowadays to repair any kind of deformity.

Now there are different kinds of Plastic surgery. Chief among the subdivisions are the Reconstructive surgery and Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery.

In Reconstructive surgery there is special focus on masking or re fixing the negative effects of any kind of trauma, disease or even surgery. Here microsurgery is done. This process may involve moving of tissue from one part of the body to that part where the defect is to hide it. Some of the common Reconstructive surgery include Breast reconstruction, Sex reassignment surgery etc.

The second type of plastic surgery - Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is more popular and also very common. This is done basically to improve physical features so as to make somebody more appealing. Except in exceptional cases where Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is done for medical purposes, in majority of the cases changing the unflattering features is the main motive of the patient.

Of the two types of Plastic surgery Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is more dangerous as it is very tempting. Permanent disfiguration of body parts can occur due to Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery.