Microsurgery

What is microsurgery?

Microsurgery is a type of surgery that uses an operating microscope and precision instruments to repair or rebuild very small parts of your body like blood vessels and nerves. It focuses on restoring function to parts of your body that no longer work well. A surgeon can perform microsurgery on any part of your body.

What are the types of microsurgery?

Common types of microsurgery include:

• Lymphatic system repair (lymphedema).
• Free tissue transfer (free flap) for cancer or trauma reconstruction.
• Repair of blood vessels or nerves in your hand or upper extremity.

What does microsurgery treat?

Some of the most common types of microsurgery treat:

• Physical trauma or injuries.
• The effects of cancer.
• Congenital (present at birth) abnormalities.

You may need microsurgery to:

• Repair or reconstruct microscopic parts of your lymphatic system, nerves or blood vessels.
• Reattach an amputated body part (limb preservation).
• Rebuild tissue or parts of your body that underwent trauma or surgery.

Microsurgery is a treatment option available when traditional types of surgery and other forms of treatment aren’t effective.

What happens before a microsurgery procedure?

Before a microsurgery procedure, you’ll meet with a surgeon for a consultation. During this consultation, your surgeon will learn more about you, your overall health and your goals for the procedure. They may take photographs of the area of your body they’ll work on to compare before and after results.

Your surgeon will discuss the risks and potential side effects of surgery. They’ll also tell you specific steps you need to take to prepare, as well as discuss follow-up care.

If you have questions about microsurgery, the consultation is a great time to ask.

What happens during a microsurgery procedure?

During a microsurgery procedure, you’ll be under general anesthesia and asleep. You won’t feel any pain. A microsurgery procedure takes place at a hospital.

Each type of microsurgery procedure is different, depending on what your surgeon needs to do.

For example, during a tissue transfer, your surgeon will remove tissue from a healthy donor site on your body. Then, they’ll reattach the tissue to the relocation area by making another incision and reattaching blood vessels with an operating microscope. When the tissue transfer is complete, your surgeon will close your incisions with removable stitches or dissolving sutures.

What is a flap in microsurgery?

Microsurgery relocates, repairs or rebuilds tissue using existing tissue from your body. It’s taken from a donor site. A flap is a piece of tissue with its own blood supply from your body. Your surgeon will use it to replace missing tissue in another area of your body.

What happens after microsurgery?

Your course of treatment after a microsurgery procedure varies based on the type of microsurgery you had. If you had a flap reconstruction, for example, your surgical team will monitor your flap closely to ensure that the reconnected blood vessels are working well. It’s critical to monitor blood vessel function during the first 24 hours after surgery.

It can take several months before your body heals completely and you’ll see the results of your surgery. You should schedule regular visits with your surgeon after the procedure to verify that your body is healing. You won’t be able to operate a vehicle or go to work or school immediately after your surgery.

What are the advantages of microsurgery?

The major advantage of microsurgery is that it restores function to parts of your body that aren’t working properly.

What are the risks or complications of microsurgery?

As with any type of surgical procedure, there are potential risks with microsurgery. Your surgeon will discuss these risks with you before your surgery.

Risks include:

• Asymmetrical healing.
• Bleeding.
• Numbness.
• Pain, swelling or an infection.
• Scarring.
• Tissue loss (necrosis).
• The need for additional future surgeries.

What is the recovery time for microsurgery?

The amount of time it’ll take for your body to recover after microsurgery depends on the type of surgery you receive. Your surgeon will discuss your estimated recovery time with you.

What’s the outlook for microsurgery?

While microsurgery offers many benefits, the success rate and outcome vary for each person and procedure. Your surgeon can give you the best information for your situation specifically.

When should I see a healthcare provider?

Visit your provider if you have signs of a surgical site infection like severe pain and swelling.

If you have any of the following symptoms, visit the emergency room immediately:

• Chest pain.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Difficulty breathing.