The number of plastic surgeons in the State's health service should be doubled in order to provide a full service for cancer and acute trauma patients, a leading Irish plastic surgeon has said.
Speaking at a major international conference at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Mr Michael Earley, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, said about half of the work carried out by the country's 17 plastic and reconstructive surgeons relates to trauma, including hand and facial injuries, skin loss, burns and damage to nerves and tendons.
The majority of these cases are referred from the country's A&E departments.
Mr Earley,the first Irish President of the British Association of Plastic Surgeons (BAPS), said: "Plastic surgery aims to restore form [appearance], restore function and restore psychological well-being in patients who have suffered accidents, had cancers removed or who are born with facial and hand deformities."
"Cancer related surgery including skin cancer, reconstruction of breasts following cancer treatments such as mastectomy, as well as head and neck cancers, account for another significant proportion of procedures. Congenital deformities including cleft lip and palate, hand and craniofacial deformities account for another group who require plastic and reconstructive surgery," Mr Early said.
He said BAPS recommended that the number of surgeons be "at least doubled" to 36 to provide a full service of reconstruction in patients who have suffered from cancers and to give every suitable trauma victim access to the treatment they deserve.
Plastic and reconstructive surgery for public hospital services is provided in Dublin, Cork and Galway and some 20,641 operations took place in these centres in 2001/2002.
The summer meeting of BAPS, which is taking place in Ireland for the first time, opens at the Royal College of Surgeons today and continues until Friday.