Microsurgery Training in Plastic Surgery

Abstract

Advances in surgical instruments, magnification technology, perforator dissection techniques, and vascular imaging over the past decades have facilitated exponential growth in the field of microsurgery. With wide application potential including but not limited to limb salvage, breast reconstruction, lymphedema treatment, and sex affirmation surgery, microsurgery represents a critical skill set that powerfully augments the reconstructive armamentarium of plastic surgeons. Accordingly, microsurgical training is now a critical component of the plastic surgery residency education curriculum. Trainees must meet minimum microsurgery case requirements in addition to the core competencies outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Through the use of simulation models, residency programs increasingly incorporate early skills development and assessment in microsurgery in the laboratory. Beyond residency, microsurgery fellowships offer additional exposure and refinement by offering volume, complexity, autonomy, and possible focused specialization. With continued refinement in technology and advances in knowledge, new types of simulation training models will continue to be developed and incorporated into microsurgery training curricula.