Plastic surgery specializes in repairing and reconstructing missing or damaged tissue and skin, usually as a result of injury, congenital defect, illness and surgery. The primary goal of plastic surgery is to restore tissue and skin function to as close to normal as feasible. Secondary, goal is to improve the appearance of bodily components. Plastic surgery is distinct from cosmetic surgery, which is performed purely to alter a healthy person's appearance in order to obtain what they believe is a more attractive appearance.
Hand Surgery is include surgeries the hand, the wrist and the peripheral nerves of the upper limb. It also encompasses reconstructive surgery that improves upper limb function. A typical hand surgery operation is performed as a day-case under a regional anaesthetic (injected in the armpit or above the shoulder, to numb the entire arm); the patient is awake or lightly sedated, according to preference. General anaesthesia and/or overnight stay in hospital are unusual but are required for some operations on the hand, such as in children or when surgery is prolonged. A few operations can be performed under local anaesthesia (injected beneath the skin at the site of surgery).
A congenital anomaly can be relatively minor (such as an angulation of the small finger: clinodactyly) or can be more major (such as hypoplasia or absence of the thumb). The care of children with congenital hand anomalies usually involves a team of healthcare professionals, including hand surgeons. Most congenital-hand surgery is carried out in hospitals with experience in the care of children.