Pediatric Plastic Surgery in Portugal

This is plastic surgery performed on children. Most of its procedures are conducted for reconstructive or cosmetic purposes. This line may be blurred for children as most congenital deformities impair physical function as well as aesthetics.

Pediatric plastic surgeons provide treatment for the following:
• Birth defects of the face and skull (misshapen skull, cleft lip and palate)
• Birth defects of the chest and limbs (misshapen breasts, webbed fingers and toes),
• Birth defects of the ear (protruding or absent ear),
• Injuries to the face, head, arms, hands, and legs
• Scars and birthmarks,
• Burns and
• Cosmetic surgery to improve a child's self-image.

• Cleft lip and/or palate – This birth defect causes physical side effects manifested in the underdeveloped lip and palate. Due to a host of other potential complications, these children are cared for by a team that may include plastic surgeons, speech pathologists, maxillofacial surgeons and dentists.
• Syndactyly – This is the most common of congenital malformations affecting limbs and it is the failure of fingers or toes to differentiate into unique digits. 
• Polydactyly – This is a birth defect affecting the limbs and manifests in the presence of extra fingers or toes at birth.
• Positional Plagiocephaly – Plagiocephaly is the flattening of one area of the skull, especially the one babies tend to favor as they lie down. While treatment is often as simple as repositioning the baby during sleep, helmet therapy may be required in more pronounced cases. Many pediatric plastic surgeons have become familiar with helmet therapy and plagiocephaly is quite minor and easily resolved.
• Craniosynostosis –This condition occurs when there is a premature fusing of one or more sutures in the skull.
• Craniofacial anomalies - Includes craniosynostosis, plagiocephaly, and other syndromes which are associated with these defects.
• Vascular anomalies – Rare vascular tumors, vascular malformations, and hemangiomas often have prominent interior bodily effects and they manifest themselves physically. Treatment is required to minimize the physical side effects of a hemangioma or vascular anomalies, and also to help in finding out why the tumor is present if it is indeed present.

Pediatric plastic surgeons are doctors who have trained for at least 4 years of medical school, 3 years of residency training in general surgery, up to 3 years of additional training in plastic surgery, additional fellowship training in pediatric plastic surgery and certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery.