Our arms, hands, legs, feet, and other limbs are very important parts of the body, and wounds left behind in these areas by previous surgery can have a serious impact on mobility and quality of life. Extremity reconstruction surgery addresses the issues of these areas.
What is extremity reconstruction?
The goal of extremity reconstruction is to replace lost tissue and restore the use and appearance of the affected area. Dr. Craft uses skin grafting or flap technique to repair and reconstruct extremity lesions to help patients feel like themselves again.
Benefits of extremity reconstruction
Our hands, feet, arms, and legs may not be necessary to live, but they are certainly important body parts that make our lives much easier. When these parts don’t function properly or appear natural-looking, it can have a very negative impact on our emotional and physical wellbeing. Extremity reconstruction has the ability to restore these parts, make them whole again, and return self-confidence to the patient. Whether it’s giving back the mobility of a body part, covering it with tissue, or both, extremity reconstruction serves as a way to help patients move on and find themselves again.
Working with the right surgeon
The surgeon you select should be an expert in extremity reconstructive surgery, and should make you feel assured that you’re in excellent hands. Dr. Craft is well known for his outstanding reconstructive abilities.
As a Harvard-trained, double board-certified surgeon, Dr. Craft provides patient-centric, compassionate care—always with an emphasis on safety and patient wellbeing.
Extremity reconstruction surgical details
Extremity reconstruction surgery is performed under general anesthesia. There are various techniques that are commonly used, with each one having a different complexity. During your initial consultation with Dr. Craft, he will assess your case to determine which technique is right for your medical needs and aesthetic goals.
Extremity reconstruction techniques
Local flap
The local flap technique uses healthy skin and tissue that are nearby the wound to close it.
Free flap
Tissue and/or muscle, blood vessels, and fat are disconnected from their existing blood supply and then reconnected to the blood vessels near the wound to reconstruct it.
Skin grafting
Healthy skin is taken from other areas of the body to cover the wound.
Recovery
Because the reconstruction recovery period is different for each extremity, the exact details of your recovery period will be discussed during your consultation with Dr. Craft. In general, you will be required to stay in a medical facility for a few days, and your arm, hand, leg, foot, or other body part will need to be elevated during recovery. Dr. Craft will go over the entire process step-by-step with you, including how to prepare for surgery, exactly what to expect the day of, and what recovery will be like.
Why choose Dr. Craft?
Dr. Randall O. Craft at the Arizona Center for Advanced Reconstruction and Aesthetics (ACARA) brings his years of reconstructive surgery expertise to every procedure he performs. He is an expert in the field of extremity reconstructive surgery and has the credentials, the experience, and the artistry to carry out safe reconstructive surgeries that achieve transformative and life-changing results. To schedule a consultation, please call (602)899-6444 or contact us online.