Microsurgery involves the use of microscopes and specialised instrumentation to perform intricate, delicate surgery. In hand surgery, this is particularly helpful when using extremely fine sutures on complex structures. Microsurgery is especially useful in reconnecting blood vessels and nerves following trauma such as amputation or sub-total amputation of fingers.
Microsurgery is a highly specialised skill and requires many years of training, practice and experience. The surgery is delicate and gentle handling of the soft tissue and microscopic structures is essential to success.
Occasionally, a transplant of tissue is required for reconstruction of very large or complicated wounds. This is done using a ‘flap’ of tissue from elsewhere on the body grafted to local blood vessels using microsurgery.
