Plastic surgery research.

Several areas of plastic surgery research, both in and out of the basic science laboratory, have been highlighted. Progress is being made in our ability to produce biologic structures to replace destroyed or damaged ones in vitro, our ability to manipulate the genetic structure of cells, and our ability to define and potentially manipulate the wound healing process in normal and abnormal healing states. More is also being learned about the biology of nerve repair, the physiologic response to silicone implants, and the mechanism of reperfusion injury. Virtual surgery may become a major part of the planning, performance, and teaching of surgical procedures in the future. Outcomes need to be better defined to prove the value of what plastic surgeons do to increasingly skeptical third parties, and progress is being made in this area as well. These areas represent only a few aspects of what is new in plastic surgery research, but they at least provide a window into the field and demonstrate the increasing sophistication of work being done in all areas. This work, as well as work in other areas, will undoubtedly affect clinical practices in the near future.