Math in Plastic Surgery

What is it?

Plastic surgery does not mean that surgeons put plastic materials into your body, your skins and that you will end up with all fake stuff all over your body as its name might refer to; on the contrary, its name is from the Greek word, plastikos, meaning forming or molding. By definition, plastic surgery refers to restore your body, reconstruct your body, as well as alter your body. Indeed, there are tens of sub-specialist involved in plastic surgery; however, it can be divided into two main streams: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery.

Reconstructive surgery

Reconstructive surgery can be divided into many subcategories, it is not a name for a specific surgery as you might assume, instead, a name for any surgery. However, basically, the reconstructive surgery is about taking blood vessels or tissues from one undamaged part of a patient's body to the damaged part of the body, which is called transplantation. Let's say that a patient just had a cancer removal surgery, which can sometimes damage body parts of function or appearance. Therefore, the patient is needed to have a reconstructive surgery to repair that damage.

COSMETIC SURGERY

As we might often hear that XXX celebrity had cosmetic surgery recently, cosmetic surgery is not far from us. Cosmetic surgery is about to change one's appearance, to improve one's aesthetic, and to make one prettier. It is a very elective surgery. Some people go to a cosmetic surgeon even though they are always good-looking and charming. Some are not, of course.

How does it relate to Math?

Mathematics is in every respect of our daily lives. So, does plastic surgery also involve math? The answer is absolutely YES. With the help of Math, surgeons are able to operate the surgery more precisely and more successfully. Instead of basing on guessing and experience, a single math equation can decrease the chances of failure in a surgery. Due to plastic surgery is about transplanting tissue from other parts of your body (mostly from your abdomen) to the damaged part, it is necessary for surgeons to have "a more precise ability to determine what the necessary blood vessel size really is,” according to Michael Miller, professor of surgery and director of the division of plastic surgery at Ohio State University and a senior author of the research.

A flap is what a tissue that plastic surgeons need to cut away. Additionally, it is a tissue that fed by a single set of perforator vessels, which is an artery and vein that travel through underlying muscle to support skin and fat. Surgeons generally agree that vessels at least 1.5 millimeters in diameter are required to sustain oxygen flow within the flap intended for transfer. However, as you might suppose, deciding the size of the flap and transferring the flap are never an easy job. Thus, thanks to the amazing mathematicians, who work day and night to go through tedious long work to figure out the best and most accurate equations, right now, surgeons have 5 equations to help them ensure and determine the size of the flap that they need to transfer.

Here's one of the equations:

Mathematicians have shown that under certain relationships between the size of the tissue flap and the diameter of the perforator vessel, the oxygen level in the flap will remain above 15 percent of the normal level, thus ensuring a successful flap transfer. Therefore, if this relationship is not satisfied, the most distant tissue from the vessel will start to die, which is something already observed by clinicians.

CONCLUSION:

An easier approach, an increasing accuracy, a higher chance of success in a plastic surgery, are things that we cannot take for granted. They are the production of Math, which God put it into our lives so that we are able to see the beauty of it. To be honestly, Math is essential to our everyday life. Can you imagine living in a world without Math existence, which you do not even know how to pay in a grocery store? Don't even mention having an operation which does not allow a micrometer margin of error. Math loves us, God loves us, we love God. Therefore, let us enjoy the great invention of God---Math, and realize how beautiful it is.

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This page by Jassy Y. ('19)

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