Features
In and out of love with surgery
Growing up with books shaped me into a hopeless romantic believing in heroes, magic and achieving the impossible. Throughout the years as I sat patiently waiting on my letter from Hogwarts I instead received my acceptance letter to medical school....
Cosmetic labiaplasty – basic relevant anatomy and surgical considerations
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Ewa Majdak-Paredes, explores the increasing demand for labiaplasty and the surgical techniques to obtain the best outcome for patients. It is recognised that there is an increasing demand for labiaplasty procedures including amongst teenagers. Genital dimensions in...
Acid attacks: part 1
In the first of a two-part series, Andrew Burd takes us through the background to the development of his protocol for the acute management of chemical assault burns (see Part 2 here). I have maintained a long-term interest in how...
An update on BIA-ALCL
The author discusses the concerns and new restrictions on breast implants due to cases of breast implant associated-anaplastic large cell lymphoma – should we be worried? Breast implants, first introduced in the 1960s, have continued to evolve, having survived a...
The importance of teamwork and leadership in the management of patients in burns centres
The authors discuss the vital part teamwork, leadership and communication play in the complex management of burns patients. Teamwork is a group of individuals collaboratively working together in the most efficient and effective manner to achieve a common goal [1,2]....
Contrasting contemporary plastic surgery training with that in the late 20th century: ‘thirteen years a slave’
The Past Was I a slave? Absolutely not. I loved every minute of my training. I had the choice of career pathway as a young surgeon, but I was hypnotised by enthusiasm and a desire to help people with major...
Immediate versus delayed post mastectomy breast reconstruction
The authors review and analyse the current literature comparing the psychosocial outcomes of immediate versus delayed post mastectomy breast reconstruction. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women and has a lifetime incidence of one in nine. Mastectomy may...
When does a non-surgical procedure fall within the scope of CQC registration? An update on cogged PDO thread lifts
In December 2018 the CQC ruled that any healthcare professional performing thread lifting now has to meet its full requirements for surgical procedures. Dr Bea Brookes takes a look at the decision. Non-surgical thread lift with dissolving threads has been...
The gender affirmation surgery MDT
The authors provide a comprehensive and thought-provoking discussion of the multidisciplinary nature of caring for someone undergoing gender reassignment surgery. In the last 50 years in the UK an estimated 130,000 people have changed their gender assigned at birth (assigned...
Life after medicine
Our Editor, Andrew Burd, renowned burns surgeon, takes us on a fascinating journey from his early days as a medical student travelling in the USA through his search for scarless healing in the 1980s and finally to his current work...
A practical guide to the most commonly used dressings in wound care
The author explores and reviews the most popular classes of dressings used for acute, chronic and problem wounds, their properties and indications based on direct observation and research studies. With an ever-increasing armamentarium of wound care tools, different brands and...
Raising the bar for safer cosmetic surgery in the UK – part 2
In the second of a two-part article (see Part 1 here) Professor James Frame, from the Anglia Ruskin University, gives us his opinion on what needs to be done to improve cosmetic surgery and patient safety in the UK. Medical...
