Microsurgery refers to a surgery performed under magnification of a microscope. In relation to plastic and reconstructive surgery, microsurgery has allowed far more precision in many procedures and has greatly expanded the range of procedures surgeons can perform safely and effectively.

Microsurgery allows surgeons to use special operating microscopes to reattach amputated fingers or transplant large sections of tissue, muscle or bone from one part of the body to another. Using the power of the operating microscope to magnify the area being worked on, the blood vessels and nerves from the part (or flap) is moved to the area where it needs to be attached.

Microsurgery can be used to take tissue from legs or back to reconstruct a breast, reattach fingers or perform plastic or reconstructive surgery on ears, nose, scalp, hands, fingers, tongue, toes and other small body parts. Microsurgery is often used for complex cancer and trauma cases.

Cases requiring microsurgery can be the most challenging in the area of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Microsurgery could be useful in

• Nerve repair
• Replantation of amputated finger,
  hand, toe, foot, ear, scalp. lip

• Skin flaps
• Muscle flaps
• Chronic Wounds
• Radiation wounds
• Muscle flaps
• Osteomyelitis (chronic bone infection)
• Diabetic foot ulcers

• Facial reanimation
• Nerve grafting
• Innervated muscle transfer

• Combination skin and muscle flap
• Combination skin, muscle, and bone flap
• Combination muscle and bone flap
• Prefabricated flaps (stage reconstruction in which the tissue is tailored prior to transfer to the reconstruction site)