PLASTIC reconstructive surgery is a discipline that renders enormous beneficial service to many people, but is often misunderstood and underutilised.

Misconceptions include the misunderstanding that procedures are only cosmetic and unwarranted and majority of the people think it is too expensive. There is also a feeling that it can only be done in very high-tech, modern and sophisticated centres.

A recent visit to Sanitas Hospital located in Mikocheni in Dar es Salaam will bring you across Dr Subramania Iyer, a visiting surgeon and professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Amritha Hospital in Cochin, India and Mr Murthy Venkateswaran, the Chief Executive Officer of Sanitas Hospital, which can open up a new world of knowledge to an enquirer.

According to Dr Iyer, the spectrum of activity a plastic surgeon can offer is vast. He says that they handle problems from head to toes and give solutions to varied issues related to congenital deformities, accidental deformities like burns and crashes, cancer surgeries and many functional debilitating problems

"Even the management of obese and diabetic people can greatly be helped by plastic surgery procedures," he adds. The type of patients and results shown by Dr Iyer both in India and here at Sanitas was enough to dispel the myth from my mind that plastic surgery was merely for the cosmetic and just for 'appearances.'

Plastic Surgery also has a significant role to play in many cases for functionality and making the daily life of a patient easier. "For example, patients with large breasts often do have problems other than appearance, as many suffer from severe backaches and are incapacitated," he says.

Dr Iyer performed several surgeries where size was reduced while retaining excellent shape of breasts, leaving many delighted patients. He says, the problem of large breasts also sometimes occurs in men, particularly relating to diet.

Another example of using plastic surgery for aiding in the function of the body was in a case where a deformity of the nose led to severe nasal blocks. While correction of nasal blocks needs surgery, clever methods are available to enhance body image as well.

Children with cleft lip and palate need expert surgical correction to lead a healthy life as an adult. Ideal time to get this surgery done is in early ages of life but Dr Iyer said that cases can be corrected at any age as well.