Paediatric Plastic Surgery: Reconstructing, seeing growing and passing on. Which pathologies for which surgeons?

Paediatric Plastic Surgery was born out of the desire to repair congenital malformations that became apparent from the 18th century onwards; advances in anaesthesia have made their management safer. We will look at the pathologies, from prenatal diagnosis to adulthood: cleft lip and palate and malformations of the face and neck, hands, giant nevi, vascular malformations, etc., and we will emphasise the importance of multidisciplinary work, which provides comprehensive care for the child and mutual enrichment. At the same time, the psychological work involved in supporting children with a different body type is vital if they are to be successfully integrated into school, society and the workplace. The surgical procedure has a strong symbolic value: not only does it restore functionality or appearance, but it also gives the child the chance to be seen, to be recognised, and to plan for the future. Today, regulatory changes and insurance constraints for surgeons and anaesthetists have reinforced our need for specialisation. Paediatric surgeons are increasingly involved in children's plastic surgery, as shown by the map of France's Centres of Competence for Rare Diseases. And that's good news! This activity is attracting the younger generation. We therefore need to think about how to structure their training, so that we can pass on our expertise, meet the needs of children and gain recognition for our work.