While microsurgery is used in a variety of medical specialties, it is especially helpful when managing conditions of the feet and hands. The small vessels and nerves of the hands and feet require proper and precise management and experience, as doctors work through a microscope to avoid damaging the surrounding tissue.
Microsurgery is also utilized when a severed limb or body part needs to be reattached. Known as limb salvage, the thumb and fingers are most common, but larger regions like the arms and legs also benefit as doctors magnify the area and begin to reconnect arteries, veins, and other connective tissue so blood can flow to the body part and keep the limb alive. This technique is also used to reconstruct injuries to bone—such as the jaw—and make sure the new bone is connected to the necessary blood supply for growth.