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Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

The mission of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is to provide the highest standards of patient care, to offer optimal educational programs, and to advance knowledge in the specialty with clinical and basic science research. Derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning "to mold or give form", plastic surgery is the specialty of medicine dedicated to restoring and reshaping the body. It is not limited to one organ system but repairs and improves health problems that affect the total patient. Thus, the plastic surgeons in the Division have subspecialty expertise in maxillofacial surgery, cosmetic surgery, surgery of congenital deformity, hand surgery, reconstructive breast surgery, and care of the difficult wound. In order to meet its mission, the Division seeks to:

  • Provide state-of-the-art clinical services to patients with plastic surgery problems in an effective and sympathetic manner. Multidisciplinary collaboration and conferences are offered for the evaluation and treatment of complex clinical problems.
  • Offer professional training programs for plastic surgery residents and others, including medical students, rotating residents, practicing plastic surgeons, nurses, and other professionals.
  • Conduct research programs at both the basic science and clinical levels on a variety of plastic surgery-related subjects that will lead to enhanced patient care.
  • Maintain affiliations with participating hospitals such as the Hines VA Hospital which are mutually beneficial and conducive to enhanced patient, care, education, and research.

 

Plastic Surgery Services

The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery provides consultation and treatment for adults and children for problems that fall into two broad categories: reconstructive and cosmetic. The American Medical Association defines the two categories as follows:

Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease. It is generally performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance.

Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient's appearance and self-esteem.

 

Plastic Surgery Procedures

  • Specific procedures commonly performed by plastic surgeons at Loyola University include, but are not limited to the following: Treatment of skin diseases, cancer, trauma
    • Malignant and benign lesions of the skin (basal or squamous cell cancers)
    • Melanoma
    • Malignant and benign lesions of the soft tissue (sarcoma, lipoma)
    • Birthmarks and tatoos
    • Reconstructive flaps and grafts
    • Scar revisions
  • Complex wound and burn treatment
    • Acute burn management (thermal, chemical, electrical)
    • Reconstructive burn treatment
    • Difficult wound care (infections, bites, foreign bodies, chronic open wounds)
    • End-stage hidradenitis suppurativa
  • Cosmetic surgery
    • Facelift (brow-lift, neck-lift)
    • Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
    • Cosmetic rhinoplasty
    • Cosmetic otoplasty
    • Liposuction
    • Collagen injections
    • Abdominoplasty
    • Breast augmentation
  • Surgery of the breast
    • Post mastectomy breast reconstruction: immediate and delayed
    • Breast reduction
    • Congenital and developmental breast deformities
    • Gynecomastia
  • Treatment of facial deformity, disease, trauma
    • Facial fractures (mandible, zygoma, orbits, nose)
    • Tumors of the lips, mouth, tongue, salivary glands
    • Congenital tumors and vascular malformations
    • Wound and laceration treatment
    • Nasal deformity
    • Ear deformity
  • Surgery of the Hand
    • Hand and forearm wounds
    • Tendon injuries and lacerations
    • Nerve injuries
    • Fractures of the hand
    • Vascular injuries of the hand
    • Carpal tunnel syndrome
    • Dupuytren's contracture
    • Trigger finger
    • Congenital abnormalities (extra digits, webbed fingers, etc)
    • Tumors of the bone and soft tissue
  • Surgery of the trunk and extremities
    • Chest and abdominal wall reconstruction
    • Perineal reconstruction
    • Lower extremity coverage
    • Flaps, grafts, free tissue transfer, expanders
  • Pediatric Plastic Surgery / Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Team
    • Cleft lip repair
    • Cleft palate repair
    • Craniosynostosis
    • Birthmarks and nevi
    • Hemangiomas, lymphangiomas
    • Congenital tumors and cysts (thyroglossal, branchial cleft)
    • Congenital deformities of the ear, nose, trunk

 

Plastic Surgery Education

The Division of Plastic Surgery is committed to high quality education in an environment that considers the multiple dimensions of a first-rate educational experience: academic, clinical, ethical, moral, and personal growth. Events over the last decade have changed the specialty of plastic surgery and these changes have created the need for new approaches to maintaining the competence of practicing plastic surgeons and educating future plastic surgeons. Some of the changes affecting the specialty include:

  • recent advances that have broadened the scope of the specialty
  • increasing knowledge that fosters ever greater sub-specialization within the specialty
  • new technology with lasers and endoscopic techniques
  • rapid advances in research leading to tissue engineering and molecular transplantation
  • technologic advances in digital imaging, teleconferencing, and virtual reality training units

Responsive to these changes, the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is continuously making modifications and expansions in the curriculum. Some major thrusts include the teaching of new skills such as:

  • physiology and safety of emerging surgical technologies
  • use of digital photography and computer technology
  • basic science lectures on tissue engineering and gene therapy
  • teaching of guidelines for ethical behavior

 

Major Research

Areas of investigation and studies currently underway within the Division of Plastic Surgery include:

  • the biology of aging skin
  • wound healing agents
  • anatomic landmarks in augmentation mammaplasty
  • speech patterns after cleft palate repair

Telephone Numbers

Physician Consultation and Referral (708) 327-2653


Patient Appointment Scheduling

 Loyola Outpatient Center (708) 216-8563
Oakbrook Terrace Medical Center (708) 953-6679
Homer Glen Clinic (708) 301-2381