Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by birth defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma or injury, infection, tumors or disease. It is generally performed to improve function but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance. Reconstructive surgery commonly corrects surface wounds and is also regularly used to treat cancerous and non-cancerous growths and the problems with the supporting structures beneath the skin. Reconstructive surgery differs from plastic surgery in one significant way. It is focused on making improvements to a damaged or abnormal part of the body.

Reconstructive surgery is used to reattach body parts severed in combat or accidents, to perform skin grafts after severe burns or to reconstruct parts of the patient’s body that were missing at birth or removed by surgery. Reconstructive surgery is the oldest form of plastic surgery, having developed out of the need to treat wounded soldiers in wartime.

Breast reduction surgery is a true blessing to some women who have suffered from severe back problems. And for those who have faced breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy, breast reconstruction may make them feel like themselves again. Reconstructive surgery will not restore feeling and sensation to the breast, just its outward appearance. It’s often done in stages, sometimes beginning at the time of the mastectomy.

Reconstructive surgery should not be performed on patients who are not healthy enough to withstand a surgical procedure performed under general anesthetic . People with severe diabetes, an autoimmune disorder such as AIDS or a suppressed immune system should not undergo reconstructive surgery.

Reconstructive surgery strives to improve function, but sometimes is also used to create as “normal” an appearance as possible. Reconstructive Surgery has spread nationwide, making it one of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery.