The Plastic Surgery Unit offers a wide range of plastic and reconstructive surgery including microsurgery. Urgent, semi-urgent and elective surgery is performed and the Unit provides the Hospital's hand surgery service.

An excellent specialised hand therapy service is provided by the Hospital's Occupational Therapy Department.

Cosmetic surgery is provided only if function is impaired. Breast reconstruction is available and some patients are accepted for breast reduction. However, there is a long waiting list for some of these procedures. Procedures such as face lift, eyelid reduction and breast augmentation are not performed.

Urgently required services are arranged via the Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department. Outpatient appointments for patients referred by doctors may be made for Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings. If your doctor advises the Hospital of the need for an early appointment, an appropriate appointment may be arranged but the waiting time for non-urgent appointments is several months. The waiting time for subsequent surgery depends upon the seriousness of your condition.

The Plastic Surgery Unit is much involved in the surgical treatment of skin cancers and injuries to the hand and face.

The busy hand surgery service deals with injuries to all important structures of the hand including tendons, nerves, blood vessels, joints, ligaments and bones. Nerve injuries elsewhere in the body are also treated by the Unit. (Fractures of the bones of the hand and injuries to the small joints of the hand are managed by the Unit but wrist injuries are managed by the Hospital's Orthopaedic Units). In particular, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger and thumb, ganglia and Dupuytren's contracture are frequently treated. In some instances patients whose hands are affected by rheumatoid or osteoarthritis may be helped by surgery and/or hand therapy.

Burns which do not require resuscitation in a burns unit are treated as is skin loss of any cause.

Children are treated following injuries and a limited range of elective paediatric plastic surgery is available.

Planned Future Expansion

In association with the recently re-established Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery Unit and the Peter MacCallum Clinic, a major head and neck cancer surgery service, dependant upon microsurgery, is planned.


John A. Buntine
Senior Plastic Surgeon