Body reconstruction is plastic surgery that repairs defects of the trunk and pelvis caused by infection, cancer surgery, radiation, trauma, pressure or congenital conditions. Dr. N. Jithendran in Bengaluru offers chest wall and sternal reconstruction, pressure sore reconstruction and vaginal reconstruction, using skin grafts, muscle and myocutaneous flaps, and free flaps.
- AnaesthesiaGeneral
- Hospital staySeveral days to a few weeks
About Body Reconstruction
Large wounds of the chest, back, buttocks and pelvis often cannot heal on their own, especially when bone or vital organs are exposed or the area has been infected or irradiated. Reconstructive surgery brings in healthy, well-vascularised tissue to close these wounds, protect underlying structures and restore function.
This group covers chest wall reconstruction after tumour resection, trauma, infection or congenital deformity; sternal osteomyelitis and sternal wound breakdown after heart surgery; reconstruction of stage 3 and 4 pressure sores over the sacrum, ischium and hip; and vaginal reconstruction for vaginal agenesis, after cancer surgery or radiation, and for fistulas.
Each plan is tailored to the defect and the patient's overall health, and often involves close work with cardiac, thoracic, oncology, gynaecology and rehabilitation teams.
Procedures in body reconstruction
Chest Wall Reconstruction
Chest wall reconstruction rebuilds the ribs, sternum and overlying soft tissue after tumour removal, trauma, infection following heart surgery,…
Read more →Sternal Osteomyelitis and Sternal Wound Dehiscence
Sternal osteomyelitis is infection of the breastbone, most often after open-heart surgery through a sternotomy, and sternal wound dehiscence is when…
Read more →Vaginal Reconstruction
Vaginal reconstruction is surgery that creates or rebuilds the vagina in women born without a fully formed vagina (vaginal atresia or agenesis),…
Read more →Pressure Sore (Pressure Ulcer) Reconstruction
Pressure sore reconstruction is surgery to close deep pressure ulcers (bedsores), usually stage 3 or 4, over the sacrum, ischium or hip in bedbound,…
Read more →Who can benefit?
- Patients with chest wall defects after tumour removal, trauma or infection
- People with infected or broken-down sternal wounds after heart surgery
- Bedbound or paraplegic patients with stage 3 or 4 pressure sores
- Women with vaginal agenesis or vaginal defects after cancer treatment
- Patients with non-healing wounds after radiation
How Dr. Jithendran approaches treatment
- Thorough debridement of infected or dead tissue
- Skin grafts for superficial defects
- Muscle or myocutaneous flaps such as pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata
- Mesh or other materials to stabilise the chest wall where needed
- Microvascular free flaps for large or complex defects
What is recovery like?
- Hospital stay usually ranges from several days to a few weeks
- Drains and careful positioning are often needed
- Physiotherapy and nursing care support recovery
- Long-term prevention, such as pressure care or dilator use, is important
What are the risks?
- Infection
- Flap loss or wound breakdown
- Haematoma or seroma
- Recurrence of the original problem
- Donor-site weakness or scarring
Why choose Dr. Jithendran?
- Dual training in orthopaedics (MS) and plastic surgery (MCh, DNB), with hand and microsurgery experience from Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore
- Consults at five hospitals across Bengaluru, with 24×7 availability for emergencies
- Clear explanations in English, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, and time to answer every question
- Strict sterilisation and patient-privacy standards
Frequently asked questions
What is a muscle flap?
A muscle flap is a muscle moved from nearby, with its blood supply kept intact, to fill and cover a wound. Muscle brings a rich blood supply that helps fight infection and fills dead space, which is why it is often used for infected chest wounds and deep pressure sores.
Which conditions are treated under body reconstruction?
Common conditions include chest wall defects after tumour removal or trauma, sternal infection and wound breakdown after heart surgery, stage 3 and 4 pressure sores, and vaginal defects due to congenital absence, cancer surgery, radiation or fistula.
Why do these wounds need a plastic surgeon?
Deep wounds of the trunk and pelvis often expose bone or organs, are infected or have been irradiated, so they do not heal with dressings alone. Plastic surgeons bring healthy tissue with its own blood supply to close the wound reliably and protect vital structures.
Is body reconstruction done in one operation?
Sometimes, but many cases are staged. Infection is first controlled with debridement and sometimes negative pressure therapy, and definitive flap cover follows once the wound is clean. Your surgeon will explain the plan for your situation.
