An open letter to young plastic surgeons (from an old UK plastic surgeon)

You are in a specialty that is second to none – you can use your skills to improve the quality of life of your patients, whether they have cancer, congenital abnormalities or damage caused by trauma. Most (90%) plastic surgery...

Cleft surgery: outreach not over-reach - You can’t save the world, but you might improve it a little

Cleft lip and palate surgery is a life changing event. In many regards the surgery itself is relatively straightforward without major physiological consequences and the opportunity of making an impact for little risk is highly attractive. Medical missions offer the...

Can 3D facial imaging improve patient management in disfiguring eye disease?

Fight for Sight is the leading UK charity funder of eye research. Since the 2013 Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership we have encouraged our researchers to work on priorities jointly identified by people affected by sight loss and...

New approaches to soft tissue reconstruction involving adipose tissue engineering

Introduction The spectrum of patients affected by subcutaneous tissue loss is both wide and varied, including those who have undergone tumour removal, trauma patients, such as those injured in road traffic accidents, and individuals who have suffered from deep burns...

Facial nerve palsy and Facial Palsy UK

The term facial palsy is most commonly used to describe a paralytic lower motor neurone (LMN) dysfunction of the facial nerve. Upper motor neurone facial palsy, for example due to strokes and intra-cranial tumours, spares the forehead muscles and will...

When a patient asks for your insurance details…

Coming from a patient, the question “Do you have insurance?” is almost certain to put a medical practitioner on edge. Not being a common query, many do not have a ready answer and instead have to grapple with some questions...

Plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine: specialties and specialists

Dr Nikolaos Metatoxos has written an excellent article ‘How to establish a successful practice in aesthetic medicine’, which looks at the business of aesthetic medicine and underlines some very important ethical issues. When comparing hospital doctors and aesthetic medicine practitioners...

2nd Chance: reconstructive surgery for life reconstruction

Many populations throughout the developing world have no access to the specialist healthcare needed by patients who have suffered severe burns, war injuries or congenital disorders. The specialties of plastic and maxillofacial surgery can make a vital contribution and PMFA...

Acid Survivors Trust International

The shocking acid attack on two British nationals in Zanzibar in August 2013 drew attention to a little known and under-reported form of interpersonal violence. Acid attack is a particularly vicious form of a premeditated assault, where acid is thrown,...

Patient-Specific Hybrid Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty has changed considerably over the past one hundred years, not only in terms of the surgical techniques used, but also in the outcome desired by patients. There are now a large number of surgical techniques used which deal with...

Training in Facial Plastic Surgery in the UK

Following the Keogh report earlier this year into the quality of cosmetic surgery in the UK, surgical training into cosmetic surgery is high on the agenda. A Cosmetic Surgery Interspecialty Committee at the Royal College of Surgeons will be discussing...

Sir Archibald McIndoe and the Guinea Pig Club

The early life of Sir Archibald McIndoe Archibald Hector McIndoe was born in Dunedin, New Zealand on 4th May, 1900. His father John was a printer and mother Mabel an artist. He was the second eldest child of four children....