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How can I make a same-day appointment with a doctor for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation?
On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for a doctor for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation, book an appointment, and see the doctor within 24 hours. Same-day appointments are often available, you can search for real-time availability of doctors for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation in your area who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.
How can I find a doctor for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation who takes my insurance?
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for doctors for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation who take your insurance. Just choose your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. If you’re not sure which plan you have, you can use Zocdoc’s insurance checker to find out.
How can I book an appointment online with a doctor for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation?
Zocdoc is a free online service that helps patients find doctors for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation and book appointments instantly. You can search for doctors for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation or any other visit reason. Then, enter your desired appointment location and choose your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of providers who meet your search criteria, along with their available appointment slots.
How can I find a female Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor?
When you search for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors on Zocdoc, you can filter your results by gender, in addition to other criteria. That way, you’ll only see doctors who match your preferences.
How can I find a Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor who sees patients after hours?
On Zocdoc, you can search specifically for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors with availability after 5 p.m.
How can I find a top-rated Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor?
You can use Zocdoc to find Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors who are highly rated by other patients. These ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on Zocdoc, they’re invited to review their experience. Each review must comply with Zocdoc’s guidelines.
How can I find a video visit with a Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor online?
Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors on Zocdoc who see patients through online video visits will have a purple video icon on their profiles. You can also filter your search results to show only Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors who offer video visits.
Are video visits with a Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor online covered by my insurance?
Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.
How can I find a Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor who sees patients in the morning or evening?
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor who has appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page.
How can I find a Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctor who sees patients during the weekend?
Zocdoc let's you see real-time availability for Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors. Many Reconstructive Surgery Consultation doctors offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays.
What is reconstructive surgery?
Medically Reviewed by Nassim Assefi, MD on December 14th, 2023
Reconstructive surgery helps repair parts of the body affected by defects you are born with or those that happen due to an injury or disease. "Reconstructive" means rebuilding something damaged or destroyed.
The words "cosmetic" and "reconstructive" are often used interchangeably. Cosmetic surgery is performed to make you look and feel better. While cosmetic surgery is not needed for medical reasons, reconstructive surgery aims to restore the normal form and function of tissue affected by infection, trauma, disorders, or congenital reasons. Some of the reconstructive surgeries commonly offered are:
- Breast reconstruction: This is made available for people who have undergone a partial or full mastectomy.
- Breast reduction: A breast reduction may be required if you have back pain, rash under your breasts, or experience severe discomfort. Whether a breast reduction is considered a cosmetic or reconstructive procedure would depend on the amount of breast tissue removed.
- Hand Surgery: Hand procedures can help improve strength, flexibility, and function while fixing issues such as webbed fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome, and arthritis.
- Wound care: Reconstructive techniques such as skin grafts are provided for severely cut or burned individuals.
- Microsurgery or flap procedures: Surgeons perform these procedures to replace body parts affected by disease or injury.
- Facial surgeries: These are available for those with facial defects like cleft lip, breathing problems such as snoring, and chronic infections.
- Limb salvage: Reconstructive surgery is helpful to fill in the space in case of an amputation of a limb.
- Facial reconstruction: This may be necessary after a trauma or tumor resection.
- Jaw straightening: Also known as orthognathic surgery, it is helpful to align the upper jaw and lower jaw in case of an injury, medical condition, or a congenital jaw problem.
- Cleft lip and palate repair: This congenital condition separates the upper lip and mouth during fetal development. In addition to surgery, you may also require speech therapy and dental work.
- Craniosynostosis surgery: Commonly known as head reshaping, craniosynostosis surgery is helpful for skull problems. Craniosynostosis occurs when the baby's skull bones fuse too soon, affecting the shape.
- Septoplasty: This procedure fixes a crooked or deviated septum, allowing better airflow through the nose and improving breathing.
What should you discuss during a consultation?
While consulting for a reconstructive surgery, your doctor will require your detailed medical history and health records to assess the medical necessity for the surgery. Your doctor will also evaluate your case based on your goals and advise you on the available options. You can choose a surgical procedure that best suits your needs.
Consider a few things when getting to know your prospective surgeon. Some questions you should ask when visiting a doctor offering reconstructive surgery near you are:
- Are they board-certified?
There are several certifying boards for these surgeons and surgical societies of which the surgeon may be a member, such as the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). These two bodies and the American Medical Association developed standards for legitimate board certification.
- How many times have they done this procedure?
Ask the doctor questions about his experience in dealing with your issue. Generally, with a more experienced surgeon, you are more likely to be confident and trusting with the process.
- What other medical staff will be a part of the procedure?
It is crucial to know everyone in your surgeon's medical team, especially those assisting, administering, and monitoring anesthesia. You can also ask if an emergency staff is available if a problem arises.
- Where will the procedure be performed?
While some procedures are performed in hospitals, others may be performed in outpatient centers or even in-office procedures. The doctor will decide this based on the procedure's complexity and your health issues.
- What type of anesthesia will be used?
Understanding your options and the potential risks of anesthesia is important. While general anesthesia is considered the best option for some surgeries, it may have the highest risks, requiring highly trained specialists for administration and monitoring. IV sedation, on the other hand, is relatively safer and less expensive. Surgeons can also use regional anesthesia to numb a specific region of the body. The safest option is local anesthesia, which may be recommended if the surgeon needs to communicate with you during the surgery. However, many procedures are not possible with local anesthesia.
- What are the risks associated with this procedure?
Any surgery can have potential side effects or complications. For instance, you may experience swelling, bruising, and discomfort. The most common complications after surgery are bleeding and infection. You must also be well informed of the possible side effects you may have after surgery.
- Can I see examples of before and after pictures?
Generally, surgeons show you photos of their patients who have consented. They may also show you stock photos to give you an idea of what the results can look like, but they must mention that the patients are not their own.
- What is the breakdown of fees for the procedure?
Remember that there is no need to hesitate to discuss possible expenses during a consultation. You will realize that you have to pay more than just the surgeon's fee, such as anesthesia, operating room, and lab fees, that you need to consider while financially planning for the procedure.
While you may feel reluctant to ask these questions during consultation, remember that it is essential for you to be your advocate in your health care.
What to expect for breast reconstruction surgery?
Breast reconstruction surgery may be performed after a mastectomy, where one or both breasts are removed due to cancer. Breast reconstruction involves rebuilding or creating new breasts that imitate the look and shape to make your chest look balanced, avoid using an external prosthesis, and restore a sense of self.
During the consultation, your doctor will explain the process and inform you of the surgery's risks. They will prepare you for the unexpected outcomes, scars, and the little to no sensation that you may have with your rebuilt breasts. The doctor will also discuss the healing process after surgery.
Breast reconstruction may be performed with implants or using your tissue called a "flap." If you choose a flap, the doctor will use tissue from different parts of your body, such as your abdomen, thighs, and buttocks, to make new breasts. While using your tissues requires longer surgery and hospital stay, your breasts will look more natural. You are also less likely to require additional surgeries in the future. On the other hand, if you choose to have implants, you are likely to recover faster but may need future surgeries to maintain the implants.
The duration of a reconstructive surgery would depend on the procedure. While some surgeries take hours, other surgeries may hardly take an hour. After the surgery, you will be monitored while the anesthesia wears off. You may require medicine for the pain and extra care for the surgical sites. Be regular with your follow-up visits with the doctors involved in the process.
Contact your surgeon immediately if you notice symptoms such as:
- New skin changes
- Swelling
- Lumps
- Pain
- Fluid leaking
Don't hesitate to contact your doctor if any other symptoms concern you. Surgery is stressful, and recovery can be difficult while adjusting to how different your body looks. Consider getting in touch with a psychotherapist if necessary.
How to find the best doctors for reconstructive surgery near you?
Have you experienced a traumatic injury or disease that has changed a body part that you want to fix? Or have you undergone a mastectomy and wish to change how your body looks? You should consult a reliable doctor to evaluate your options and choose what suits your needs best.
Zocdoc can help you find the best reconstructive surgery consultation doctors near you.
Create a free account on Zocdoc and enter relevant keywords such as "reconstructive surgeon" or "reconstructive surgery consultation." You may also specify the reconstructive surgery you are looking for. Moreover, specifying your location and insurance details can help narrow your options for in-network doctors offering reconstructive surgery near you.
You may filter your options based on location, language, gender, and other factors. Each practitioner profile listed on Zocdoc includes a detailed description of the provider, their qualifications, hospital affiliations, in-network insurance, and the languages they speak. You can also find out their professional memberships and whether or not they are board-certified.
Zocdoc also provides user-verified reviews and ratings to help you make an informed decision.
All bookings on Zocdoc are safe, secure, and free. You can find the most reliable doctor offering reconstructive surgery near you on Zocdoc with these simple steps.
Statistics for reconstructive surgery
A common reconstructive surgery among children is for cleft lip palate, which results in problems with feeding, speaking, and hearing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly one in every 1,600 babies has a cleft lip with a cleft palate in the country. Approximately one in every 2,800 babies has only a cleft lip, and one in every 1,700 babies has a cleft palate.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Procedural Statistics represent procedures performed by ASPS surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Among the top five most commonly performed surgeries, there were about 5.1 million tumor removals, 386,710 laceration repairs, 263,643 scar revisions, 256,085 maxillofacial surgeries, and 206,928 hand surgeries in 2020. Moreover, there were about 68,915 surgeries for congenital deformities and 137,808 breast reconstruction procedures performed in the same year.
Sources
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.