OVERVIEW
If you are dissatisfied with prior plastic surgery, you may want to consider having a revision surgery.
Older surgical techniques have been refined and improved in recent years. Changes which were difficult to accomplish in the past are now commonplace. Many of the previous surgical results which appear to be unnatural or “surgical” can be improved to make them more aesthetically pleasing and less artificial in appearance. Some such procedures include:
Nasal Surgery
correction of post-surgical breathing problems
correction of the overly shortened nose
correction of the pinched or pointed tip
correction of the crooked nose
correction of the bridge which has been made too small or left too high
asymmetrical nostrils
Breast Surgery
correction of breasts which have become hard following insertion of implants (capsular contracture)
removal and replacement of broken or aging breast implants
improvement of surgical scars following augmentation or reduction
correction of asymmetry following augmentation or reduction
correction of mastectomy scars and refinements in breast reconstruction
Liposuction and Body Contouring
additional reduction and reshaping using new technologies
improvement of irregularities or ridges
Facial and Eyelid Surgery
correction of previous under-correction or over-correction
improvement of surgical scars following facelift or eyelid surgery
correction of eyelid or facial asymmetry
Chin and Cheek Augmentation
Removal of old implants and replacement with contemporary more natural implants
These situations call for a careful evaluation of the problem and a precise plan for surgical revision. At your initial consultation. Dr. Glassman may use computer imaging to realistically show you what improvements may be possible. When you have this type of surgery, it is important to preserve or restore normal function as well as to achieve an attractive cosmetic result. Some insurance companies will pay for revision surgery if it is medically necessary. Our office staff will help you determine if you are eligible for such benefits.
Reconstructive Surgical Procedures
Dr. Glassman specializes in several reconstructive surgical procedures, some of which include:
– Skin Cancer Removal and Reconstruction
– Breast Reconstruction Following Mastectomy
– Correction of Congenital Breast Asymmetry
– Scar Revisions and Skin Grafts
– Cleft Lip and Palate Repair
– Reconstruction of the Face and Extremities
Skin Cancer Removal and Reconstruction
There are several ways in which skin cancers can be successfully treated. Factors to be considered are (1) the type of cancer [basal cell, squamous cell, melanoma], (2) the location and (3) the age and needs of the patient.
There are three medical specialties that commonly treat skin cancers: dermatologists, radiologists and plastic surgeons.
Plastic surgeons commonly remove basal cell and squamous cell cancers using the Mohs Technique. This sophisticated method involves three steps:
Surgically removing the cancer.
Submitting the specimen for immediate examination under the microscope by a specially trained pathologist.
Once the margins have been found to be clear, closing the defect using techniques and methods that will minimize scarring and prevent deformity.
The Mohs Technique has major advantages in that it has the lowest incidence of recurrence of all methods while removing the least amount tissue. This in turn optimizes the reconstruction of the defect leading to the best possible cosmetic outcome.
Surgical removal of melanoma does not lend itself to the Mohs Technique. Rather than relying on immediate “frozen sections” to ensure adequate margins, the specimen must be submitted for “permanent sections” which take 2-3 days for processing.
In all skin cancer cases the goals are simple. First, we must cure the cancer. Second, we must use all plastic surgery techniques at our disposal to reconstruct the defect in such a way to minimize the scarring and avoid serious deformity.