Book advice

[franceschino]

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Hello everyone,
I am a medical student with major interest in Plastics. I have been practicing my knotting and suturing skills, but I am keen to learn the more advanced suturing techniques (ie other than simple, vertical and horizontal mattress).
I was wondering whether anyone could suggest:
1) a book to learn more advanced techniques to impress my superiors : )
2) a plastic surgery book

I appreciate that teaching can come from my superiors (which already happens), but I struggle to learn the first way round. I need visual aids... + all the books I've seen cover the pretty standard techniques and do not include eg suturing Z-plasties, etc.
Thanks a lot for your help.
Yours,

franceschino

 

[maxheadroom]

I wouldn't worry too much about learning "advanced techniques". At this stage, you're better off really practicing your precision and speed in suturing. I never have a student design a Z-plasty, although you should be familiar with the concept. A student who can readily sew and do it competently will be noticed, especially as a third year. If you don't sew well as a fourth year, your candidacy in plastics will be questionable.

Books to check out:
the UT Southwestern Plastic Surgery manual seems pretty useful
Grabb & Smith's Plastic Surgery

You should be reading about anatomy, especially hand and common flaps. You should learn the basics of skin cancer, especially the treatment recs for melanoma. You should learn a basic trauma exam for the hand and the face. You should read about breast reconstruction and the relative indications for the different techniques.

The three things that make students stand out in Plastics:
1. Fund of knowledge. If you know the basic anatomy and you've read about the indications for common procedures, you'll look good.
2. Suturing ability. You'd be surprised how often someone says at our rank meeting, "Boy, he still couldn't sew after a month on our service, I don't know if he's got the ability to do it."
3. Work ethic. We notice it when you see the patient before us. We notice it when the dressing material is in the room and ready when we come by. We notice it when you've written a skeleton Op Note, basic orders, and prescriptions in the OR. We notice if you help the OR staff position the patient, put on PAS boots, and remember to get out your own gown and gloves. We notice if you walk the balance between being nice & funny, but not annoying and sycophantic.

Get the basic stuff first and we'll take care of the bigger stuff when you join the big leagues.

 

[franceschino]

Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately in the UK you should consider yourself lucky if you are allowed to suture on a real patient. I have loads of friends who wouldn't even know where to start. I consider myself lucky to have had some experience (probably because I spend most of my spare time in theatre... : )
I couldn't agree more with regards to "learn the basics". But I find very often that I am not sure why certain things are done in a way rather than another. For this reason I wanted a "introductory" book to plastics.
Thanks a lot and if anyone else has any more advice, please feel free to post a message : )

franceschino

 

[BlondeDocteur]

That was great advice-- thanks Max.