Reconstructive Surgery — Procedure Guide, Recovery & Risks | MyMedicPlus

Reconstructive surgery restores anatomy, function, and appearance following cancer resection, trauma, burns, infection, or congenital anomalies. Surgeons apply the reconstructive ladder: primary closure, skin grafts, local flaps, pedicled flaps, and microsurgical free tissue transfer.

Indicated for breast reconstruction after mastectomy, head and neck defects after tumor excision, limb salvage after sarcoma surgery, burn wound coverage, cleft lip and palate repair, and congenital craniofacial and hand anomaly correction.

Defect size and tissue requirements guide technique selection. Options include tissue expanders, pedicled flaps (TRAM, latissimus dorsi), or microsurgical free flaps (DIEP, anterolateral thigh). Free flaps require microvascular anastomosis of artery and vein to recipient vessels under a microscope.

Free flap patients require hourly monitoring for the first 48 hours to detect vascular compromise. Hospital stay is 2-7 days depending on technique. Dressings are changed daily; full healing takes 6-12 weeks. Revision surgery may refine results at 6-12 months.

Free flap failure occurs in 1-5% of cases. Other risks include partial flap necrosis, wound dehiscence, infection, seroma, donor-site morbidity (numbness, hernia with TRAM), asymmetry, and the need for staged revision procedures.

Patient satisfaction exceeds 80% with breast reconstruction. Free flap success rates surpass 95% at experienced centers. Functional outcomes depend on defect location and technique; head and neck reconstruction achieves acceptable speech and swallowing in over 80% of patients.