If you suffer a traumatic injury that involves soft tissue only, chances are you will go to the nearest emergency room where you will receive a thorough evaluation and discussion of treatment. It's not uncommon to view soft tissue injuries as being minor. However, without prompt and proper repair, there are cosmetic and functional risks.
Some of the injuries that a plastic surgeon may need to examine right away include:
Nasal trauma. People of all ages can experience an injury to the nose. This can result from an auto accident, sport injury, or just playing a little too rough. Nasal injuries can cause cosmetic deformities, pain, and chronic chondritis if not properly handled earlier rather than later. Emergency plastic surgery may prevent these, as well as septal hematoma and breathing issues due to poor healing.
Scalp lacerations. This common injury may also occur for a number of reasons, including riding a bicycle without a helmet and experiencing a fall. Whatever the cause of a scalp laceration, the concern is how deep the wound goes. An emergency room doctor can evaluate the area for galea injury and debris in and around the wound. They can clean away the debris, but you need a plastic surgeon to repair damaged tissue in a way that may prevent significant scarring.
Cheek lacerations. When the cheek has been badly cut, the doctor first examines the thickness of the laceration. This measures whether the laceration affects only the skin or also the subcutaneous tissue and muscle. Cheek lacerations can also extend to the intra-oral mucosa inside the mouth. One of the concerns with cheek lacerations is injury to facial nerves, of which there are five branches. A plastic surgeon will carefully evaluate all five branches of the facial nerve before beginning to repair the laceration.
Eyebrow or eyelid lacerations. These are some of the most common facial injuries that may require emergency plastic surgery. Prompt care for an eyelid laceration can reduce scarring and changes in eyelid position that could result in excessive tearing or, conversely, excessive dryness or irritation. Similarly, if a laceration to the eyebrow area is not well-repaired, the appearance of the eye may be altered to a tight or droopy state.