Reconstructive surgery
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Reconstructive surgery is a medical specialty that deals with restoring the form and function of body parts that have been damaged or lost due to congenital malformations, accidents (trauma), tumor diseases or serious illnesses.
In contrast to aesthetic surgery, which improves the appearance for cosmetic reasons, reconstructive surgery is medically necessary.
Sub-areas of reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery comprises a large number of specialized sub-areas.
Traumatology (accident surgery)
Treatment of serious injuries caused by accidents, such as burns, complicated bone fractures or soft tissue damage.
Tumor surgery
Reconstruction after the removal of tumors, especially in the head and neck, breast (breast reconstruction after mastectomy) and other body regions.
Wound treatment
Covering large wounds or chronic wounds that do not heal on their own, often using skin grafts or flap plasty (transfer of tissue from other parts of the body).
Hand surgery
Restoring the function and appearance of the hand after injuries, amputations, congenital deformities or diseases such as arthritis.
Treatment of congenital malformations
Correction of malformations in children, such as cleft lip and palate, missing ears or hand malformations (e.g. syndactyly, polydactyly).
Nerve surgery
Reconstruction and repair of nerves after injury to restore function.
When is this department consulted?
Reconstructive surgery is always performed when physical integrity or function is impaired. Examples are
After cancer treatment:
One of the most common applications is breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.
After serious accidents or burns:
Restoration of the skin and underlying tissue to improve function and normalize appearance.
For congenital malformations:
Correction in newborns and children to enable them to develop normally.
For chronic diseases:
Treatments that significantly impair quality of life, such as the reconstruction of severe bedsores (decubitus ulcers).
Preliminary examinations and costs
Before undergoing treatment in Switzerland, you should have some necessary preliminary examinations carried out. You should also be aware of the costs.
Necessary preliminary examinations
The preliminary examinations are crucial for the success and safety of the procedure. They depend heavily on the type of reconstruction, but generally include:
Detailed medical history and physical examination
Recording of medical history, previous illnesses and general state of health.
Imaging procedures
Depending on the case, CT, MRI, ultrasound or X-ray images may be necessary to precisely determine the extent of the damage or the anatomy of the region to be reconstructed.
Laboratory tests
Blood tests to check blood clotting, kidney and liver function.
Interdisciplinary consultations
Consultations with other specialists (e.g. oncologists, trauma surgeons) are often necessary in order to draw up a comprehensive treatment plan.
Costs in Switzerland
Swiss citizen
In Switzerland, the costs of reconstructive surgery are generally covered in full by compulsory health insurance, as these treatments are medically necessary and serve to restore function and health.
For foreign nationals and self-payers, we will be happy to provide you with a quote after checking your documents.
EXAMPLE OF RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
Breast reconstruction
An overview of the two methods of breast reconstruction:
1. reconstruction with autologous tissue (autologous reconstruction)
Tissue removal: Tissue is often removed from the lower abdomen (e.g. DIEP flap method, whereby no muscle is usually removed), the thighs or the back. The choice of donor site depends on the patient's individual circumstances.
Flapplasty: The removed tissue, the so-called flap, is transplanted into the breast region.
Connection to the blood circulation: With "free" flaps (such as the DIEP flap), the blood vessels of the flap are connected to blood vessels in the chest region under the microscope (microsurgical procedure) to ensure blood flow to the new tissue. In the case of "pedicled" flaps (such as the latissimus dorsi flap from the back), the blood vessels remain partially connected.
Shaping of the breast: The tissue is modeled into the shape of a natural breast.
2. reconstruction with implants (heterologous reconstruction)
Direct placement: If there is sufficient skin and no radiotherapy is planned, a silicone implant can often be placed directly in the breast pocket under or above the pectoral muscle.
Two-stage procedure with expander: If the remaining skin after the mastectomy is too tight, a so-called expander (a hollow body, often balloon-like) is inserted first. This is gradually filled with saline solution over a period of weeks or months to slowly stretch the skin and underlying tissue. As soon as the desired size is reached, the expander is replaced with the final silicone implant in a second operation.
Advantages: Less complex procedure, shorter operation time and recovery.
Disadvantages: Risk of capsular fibrosis (hardening of the tissue around the implant), implants may need to be replaced after about 10 to 15 years or if complications arise, the breast may feel less natural.
The reconstruction of a breast after removal (mastectomy), for example due to cancer, is known as breast reconstruction. There are various methods that can be roughly divided into two main categories, which we present here.
Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. The specialist treating you will decide which method is best suited to your case after a thorough preliminary examination.
We will help you find the right clinic - the right specialist.
The Hirslanden Group in Switzerland offers specialized services in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery in many of its clinics, including reconstruction after breast removal. Since breast reconstruction after cancer is usually performed in breast centers, it is advisable to go to clinics that have designated breast centers with experts in reconstruction.
Below we present one of our partner clinics:
Hirslanden Clinic Zurich
Hirslanden Clinic Zurich . Witellikerstrasse 4 . 8032 Zurich
Center for Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
Klinik Hirslanden in Zurich is generally regarded as one of the Group's leading clinics with a wide range of specialists and centers. It has a breast center and corresponding specialists for plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, who also carry out complex reconstructive procedures (e.g. with autologous tissue).
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