Microsurgery

Microsurgery is any form of surgery in which an operating room microscope and microsurgical instruments are employed for purposes of repairing or reconstructing very small structures such as blood vessels and nerves. Otolaryngologists (ENT physicians) were the first to use microsurgery in performing procedures on fragile portions of the vocal cords and inner ear, but today it is broadly used by specially trained ophthalmologists, urologists, gynecologists, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons and vascular surgeons, including multidisciplinary teams that perform complex tissue and limb transplants. Some of the primary uses of microsurgery are for blood vessel repair, vein grafting, nerve repair, nerve grafting, cataract removal, corneal transplants, reverse vasectomy and reverse tubal ligation procedures, and skin and muscle reconstruction. It may also be used to remove malignant growths in certain parts of the body and to correct vascular abnormalities within the brain.