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reconstructive surgery

reconstructive surgery

14 3.9
An operation that fixes body parts so they look and work better after injury or disease
  • noun
  • /ˌriːkənˈstrʌktɪv ˈsɜːrdʒəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cirugía reconstructiva
  • After her accident, she received reconstructive surgery on her leg to help restore its function.
  • plastic and reconstructive surgery

Not only in plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery, but also in sex change surgery.

Examples

  • She also had reconstructive surgery to look the way she does now.

  • The cost of an ACL reconstructive surgery is approximately $17,000.

    Academic text (2002)
  • When l was older, l had reconstructive surgery and my life began.

  • ...from the blows to his face that would require reconstructive surgery.

  • My friend Brian had reconstructive surgery on his eyes and his lip.

  • Dr. Weaver specialized in child reconstructive surgery.

  • The R.O.S.E. Fund routinely provides free access to facial reconstructive surgery to female victims of domestic violence.

    Blog text (13)
  • Well, she's gonna need some reconstructive surgery, but she's gonna be all right.

  • Two weeks later, she had a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, followed by four months of chemotherapy.

    Blog text (16)
  • On December 6th, the family will travel to Miami Children's Hospital for cranial reconstructive surgery.

    Blog text (28)

Synonyms

surgery
vsreconstructive surgery
945 2.7

An operation in which a doctor cuts into the body to treat or repair it

is a medical repair action focused on restoring tissues, not any operation type
operation
vsreconstructive surgery
273 3.7

A surgery where a doctor cuts the body to fix a problem

specifically aims to restore body form and function after injury or illness
plastic surgery
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
99 3.6

Operations that repair body parts or change them to improve looks

focuses on restoring form and function across many surgical areas rather than a single specialty
reconstruction
vsreconstructive surgery
89 4.2

Building something again after it is damaged or destroyed

is specifically about medical repair of body tissues rather than any rebuilding process
surgical operation
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
2 3.0

A medical treatment where a doctor makes a cut to fix, remove, or replace a part of the body

emphasizes restoring form and function, not merely making an incision
reimplantation
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 8.4

The act of putting a body part back in its original place after it is removed or lost

is broader, including many repair methods beyond simply returning tissue
revascularization
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 7.6

A medical treatment to restore blood flow to a part of the body by opening or making blood vessels

focuses on restoring circulation specifically rather than overall tissue shape
cranioplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 8.8

An operation to repair the skull using a metal or plastic plate

is the general practice of restoring form and function beyond a single bone
arthroplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 9.1

Surgery to replace or fix a damaged joint like a hip

aims at restoring form and function of tissues, not only joints
phalloplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Surgery to make or fix a penis

applies the same repairing purpose but across varied body parts
gastroplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 6.7

Surgery to fix the stomach so it works again

includes such organ repairs but also covers many other tissue types
replantation
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A surgery that reattaches a body part cut off from the body

covers reattachment but also includes planned rebuilding after injury or disease
retransplantation
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
1 9.4

Putting a new organ or tissue into a person's body again after the first one failed

focuses on restoring form and function more generally, not only repeating transplants
anaplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
9.9

Surgery that rebuilds damaged body parts to restore how they look and work

covers similar repair but applies across many body parts and techniques
autoplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
9.9

Surgery to repair a body part using tissue from another part of the person's body

is broader, not limited to using the person's own tissue
neuroplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
9.9

A surgery that fixes damaged nerves to restore movement or feeling

focuses more broadly on tissue form and function, not only nerves
proctoplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
9.9

Surgery to repair the anus or rectum

is the wider practice of restoring tissue form and function generally
rectoplasty
vsreconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
9.9

Surgery to repair the rectum or anus after injury

covers this specific repair but also many other reconstructive targets

How Restorative

reconstructive surgery
  • Specialized
14 3.9
surgery
945 2.7
to face-lift
1 6.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

reconstructive + surgery

The meaning 'surgery that restores form and function' is directly compositional from 'reconstructive' (restoring or rebuilding) + 'surgery' (operative medical procedure). This adjective+noun combination follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Reconstructive surgery comes from the simple image of rebuilding a broken thing: reconstructive means to put parts back together and surgery is an operation on the body, so the phrase refers to operations that 'restore how the body looks and works'.