Congenital Malformations

Reconstructive plastic surgery is often performed to correct congenital malformations. These are malformations that have occurred during development that may or may not be inherited. Some examples are birthmarks, misshapen or missing portions of the nose, ears without earlobes, and misshapen or missing eyelids. In some cases persons are born without certain features, such as ears or noses and these can in some places be built and added. Each situation is different and the technique chosen to correct it depends on the patient’s condition and needs.

In many cases, the correction can be made by surgically rejoining portions of tissue that did not fully grow together. In other instances, all or part of an area must be built and formed using tissue and skin from another part of the body (skin flap) or by expanding tissue in the area and then reconstructing it.