Reconstructive Surgery

Breast Reconstructive Surgery

Reconstructive surgery restores form to structures that have been changed by trauma, disease, or surgery. Breast reconstruction restores the shape of the breast. Unfortunately the function is lost after the breast is removed with the mastectomy. Dr. Rosato uses implants and flaps to perform breast reconstruction. The reconstruction can be done at the same time as the mastectomy or as a delayed surgery. Many breast reconstructions are begun at Indian River Medical Center and the final stages are completed at the Rosato Plastic Surgery Center. The Rosato Plastic Surgery Center is licensed by the state of Florida as an ambulatory surgery center. Anesthesia is given by board certified doctors of anesthesia. You can have general anesthesia or twilight anesthesia. For further information on this procedure you can visit the American Society of Plastic Surgery web site, www.plasticsurgery.org.

Hand Surgery

Many patients are surprised to hear that Plastic Surgeons perform Hand Surgery. Dr. Rosato had extensive training in Hand Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation during his residency. He became Board Certified in Hand Surgery in 1994. Many common hand surgeries can be done under local anesthesia as an out patient leading to a more rapid recovery. The Rosato Plastic Surgery Center is licensed by the state of Florida as an ambulatory surgery center. You can have general anesthesia or twilight anesthesia. For further information on this procedure you can visit the American Society of Plastic Surgery web site, www.plasticsurgery.org.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer patients are often referred to Dr. Rosato to repair structures that have been damaged by the cancer removal. Pathology is available at the Center to check to see if the cancer is completely removed. The Rosato Plastic Surgery Center is licensed by the state of Florida as an ambulatory surgery center. You can have local anesthesia, general anesthesia, or twilight anesthesia. If your cancer is in need of removal then Dr. Rosato will remove the cancer and have pathology analyze the tissue to be sure the cancer has been completely removed. In this case reconstruction will be done at the same time as the removal. This technique is similar to Moh's surgery. For further information on this procedure you can visit the American Society of Plastic Surgery web site, www.plasticsurgery.org.

Melanoma

Melanoma is a worrisome form of skin cancer that is usually dark in color. Unlike the more common forms of skin cancer it may spread to regional lymph nodes and distant sites in the body if left untreated. The chance of it spreading depends on how deep the melanoma has penetrated into the skin. Dr. Rosato brought the technique of Sentinel Lymph Node biopsy to the Treasure Coast in 1995.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

With this technique a lymph node or a few lymph nodes are removed to check to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The status of the lymph nodes is important to predict the risk of melanoma spread. Thin melanomas have very little chance of spread and thick melanomas have a greater chance of spread. The sentinel lymph node biopsy spares the patient the larger operation of complete lymph node removal. However, if the sentinel lymph node is positive for melanoma then the recommendation is to remove the rest of the lymph nodes. If melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes then chemo therapy is usually considered.