Because some parts of the body are so small they can only be seen under a microscope, some medical procedures must be performed at a microscopic level. Here are four conditions that require this highly specialized type of surgery.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the narrow passageway for the median nerve in the arm becomes narrow, resulting in tingling and numbness in the hand. To repair the damage, doctors skilled in microsurgery Houston cut the base of the palm and work on the transverse carpal ligament. Recovery takes anywhere from several weeks to a few months.
Breast Cancer
After a mastectomy, women have several options for breast reconstruction. One increasingly popular choice is microsurgery that uses a patient’s own abdominal fat and skin to replace the breast tissue that was lost. One advantage to this method over synthetic implants is that the breasts appear more natural.
Missing Thumb
When a thumb is traumatically amputated, use of the hand is greatly impaired. One solution is to remove the patient’s big toe and transplant it to the hand. Because nerves and blood vessels must be re-wired, only a microsurgeon is qualified to perform this technique. Although the surgery does not restore full function to the hand, it does improve the ability to perform some tasks.
Burns
A victim of a fire may be left with severe burns over much of the body. While first and second degree burns usually heal with minimal scarring, third degree burns damage the deep layers of the skin, preventing regeneration. In these cases, doctors often recommend microsurgery to remove unburned skin and graft it over the burns.
Microsurgery is a complicated process that requires longer times in the operating room. However, it is sometimes the best choice when it comes to severe medical conditions that require reconstruction of tissues.
