The word cancer has been plaguing human consciousness for decades. It has filled our hearts with fear, doubt, and an ominous sense of helplessness. But with medical science and technology covering great grounds in the recent past, hope, it seems, has been restored to some extent. Another thing that abounds with the prospect of renewal is physical disfigurement caused by cancer. This possibility has brought the plastic surgeons of the world into great demand. Acclaimed cosmetic surgeons like Dr. Mohammed Hussain Alqahtani have helped actors and sportspeople put their best foot (or any other part of their body) forward with the magic of their surgeries. In this article, Dr. Alqahtani shares his insights about the advancements in cancer reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Alqahtani has been a cosmetic surgeon for more than a decade. According to him, “One of the biggest reasons for cosmetic surgery to have become popular is the fact that more and more people are becoming open to the idea. People are less scared and better informed. Also, your average cosmetic surgeon is no more a daunting figure. He/she often walks the extra mile to assure patients that what they want for themselves is valid, important, and justified.” His friendly attitude and a genuine love ‘for what I do’ has helped him garner patients from all walks of life.
Often, the less informed among us fear that if they or their loved ones get cancer, the affected organ might become useless. “Reconstructive surgery,” says Dr. Alqahtani, “takes care of that. It can restore the function of an organ or a body part. And patients can return, often very quickly, to their old way of life.” This will undoubtedly come as a relief to many who thought of cancer as an untameable beast.
Time, it seems, is in favor of reconstructive surgery. According to Dr. Alqahtani, “new 3-D modeling technology has improved reconstructive microsurgery tremendously. For example, to fix or remove a patient’s leg bone or a jaw bone we acquire the data generated by a CT scan and re-create the patient’s bone structure in 3-D on the computer.” This 3D modeling helps surgeons like Dr. Alqahtani develop a detailed plan before the surgery, “sharpen the accuracy of the procedure and the result and decrease the surgery time exceptionally.”
Dr. Alqahtani derives great joy from his work. He has helped several people renew their faith and confidence in themselves post-surgery. With more advancements on the way, Dr. Alqahtani is sure that reconstructive surgery will become more non-intrusive and quicker in the near future.