DEPARTMENT OF PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

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ABOUT

The Clinical Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has a staff of 10 members, including 8 teaching and 2 support staff. The Department has 1 professor, 3 lecturers, and 4 assistants, who are currently pursuing doctoral degrees at LSMU. We deliver training to the 4th year students of the Medical Academy under the module “Musculoskeletal System”, the 5th year students – “Emergency Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery”. The Department also provides a 5-year residency programme in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery dedicated to the training of prospective plastic and reconstructive surgeons. The Department offers various 1 to 2-month cycles for residents of different specialties to get familiar with the field.

HISTORY

The history of plastic surgery at LSMU Kaunas Clinics started with the Burns Unit, which was established by the order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania on 7 December 1972. Since 1 April 1998, as part of the reform of the Department of Surgery at Kaunas Medical University, 2 sectors were established: the Department of Burns Surgery (based on the former burns unit) and the Department of Plastic Surgery (based on the microsurgery group). On 21 April 2006, the Senate of Kaunas Medical University decided to establish the Clinical Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The Senate resolution was confirmed by the orders of the Rector of the Kaunas Medical University and the Director General of Kaunas Clinic. Prof. Rytis Rimdeika was elected Head of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

In the “Musculoskeletal System” module, the 4th year students are taught and provided with the chance to gain knowledge in the underlying factors contributing to the onset of primary rheumatic and orthopaedic conditions, as well as syndromes and injuries. They also learn about the fundamental principles of diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention. The module covers rheumatic and orthopaedic diseases, injuries in children and adults, rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Through their studies in this module, students will acquire knowledge that can be utilized in their roles as medical practitioners and can also serve as a foundation for pursuing third-cycle studies in specialized fields such as rheumatology, orthopaedics, traumatology, physical medicine, and rehabilitation.

The “Emergency Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery” module for the 5th year students covers a range of topics including the common principles of diagnosis of infected wounds, the energy requirements of burn trauma patients, enteral and peri-enteral nutrition, the major pathways of nutrient loss, the main causes of tissue defects, the main causes of tissue defects, the types of reconstructive surgery for tissue defects, and the indications for and contraindications to surgery. The “Burn Surgery” and “Fundamentals of Reconstructive Surgery” cycles are attended by residents in surgery, abdominal surgery, orthopedic traumatology and other surgical specialties, as well as residents in skin and venereal diseases.

The research topic approved at the Department is “Investigation of the efficacy of methods for the treatment of acquired soft tissue defects and evaluation of prognostic criteria for outcomes” as part of the interdepartmental programme “Emergency Medicine”. Research is carried out jointly with the Department of Emergency Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Departments of Anaesthesiology, Surgery, Intensive Care, Laboratory Medicine, Skin and Venereal Diseases, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, and Radiology. Joint doctoral or clinical studies are organised to address current issues. Past and ongoing programmes in cooperation with foreign partners, funded under the European Union frameworks:

  • The 6th EU Research Framework Programme (FP6): “Ultimate pressure dressing system for the management of venous ulcers (ULSYS)” in collaboration with AB Biocentras, Brescia University.

The Department conducts doctoral studies and research work on the epidemiology of burns, assessment of burn depth, anaesthesia for burn patients, identification of wound infecting agents, prevention of complications of arteriovenous connections, surgical treatment of acquired deformities of the hand, and treatment of diabetic wounds.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COLLABORATION

The Clinic networks with the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Linkoping University (Sweden), the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University Hospital of South Manchester (United Kingdom), and the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Tampere University Hospital (Finland), Surgical Clinic and Microsurgery Centre of Minsk University Hospital (Belarus), Surgical Clinic and Burn Centre of Gomel University Hospital (Belarus), State Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgery Centre and Brucu Clinic (Latvia), Centre for Plastic and Wound Surgery of Wroclaw University City Hospital (Poland).

ONGOING PROJECTS

  • ES 6 BPP “Ultimate pressure dressing system for the management of venous ulcers (ULSYS)”

Project by the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) together with the Lithuanian Wound Management Association (LWMA) “Implementation of modern wound management techniques in Russian-speaking European countries”.

LSMU MA MF Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Dr. Loreta Pilipaitytė
Head of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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