XN000022-1976-12-05 — Page 1

HK 香港政府 GIS 新聞處

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1976

FIRST GOVERNMENT PLASTIC SURGERY UNIT IN P.M.H.

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DISFIGURED PEOPLE ARE HAVING A BETTER CHANCE OF LEADING NORMAL LIVES AGAIN WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRALISED PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE UNIT IN THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL.

THE UNIT, WHICH HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR, NOW HAS 30 BEDS CATERING FOR BOTH MEN, WOMEN AS WELL AS CHILDREN.

IT IS RUN BY A TEAM OF TRAINED PLASTIC SURGEONS, ASSISTED BY DOCTORS, TRAINED NURSES, PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AND A SOCIAL WORKER.

ACCORDING TO THE CONSULTANT IN CHARGE OF THE UNIT, CASES ADMITTED INTO THE WARD CONSIST MAINLY OF BURNS AND POST BURN CONTRACTURES, CONGENITAL ANOMALIES SUCH AS CLEFT LIP AND PALATE, HEAD AND NECK SURGERY, AND HAND SURGERY.

+THE MAIN AIM OF OUR OPERATIONS IS TO RESTORE FUNCTIONING POWER,+ HE SAID. +COSMETIC EFFECTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN APPEARANCE ARE OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE.+

+WE DO NOT NORMALLY ACCEPT COSMETIC CASES UNLESS IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE A PERSON'S MINOR DISFIGUREMENT AFFECTS HIS PSYCHOLOGICAL MAKE-UP AND CONFIDENCE TO THE EXTENT THAT HIS ABILITY TO WORK IS IMPAIRED, HE ADDED.

THE CONSULTANT POINTED OUT THAT THE NEED TO ESTABLISH A PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTURE UNIT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS WITH THE EVER-RISING INSTANCES OF INDUSTRIAL AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS RESULTING IN HAND OR FACIAL DISFIGUREMENT.

STATISTICS HAVE ALSO SHOWN THAT ONE OUT OF EVERY 800 NEW-BORN BABIES HAVE SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL ANOMALIES SUCH AS CLEFT LIP AND PALATE OR DEFORMED HANDS AND FINGERS.

+PLASTIC SURGICAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE NON-GOVERNMENT SECTOR ARE OFTEN EXPENSIVE AND THE NEED FOR A GOVERNMENT-RUN UNIT PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES AT A LOW COST HAS BEEN APPARENT FOR SOME TIME, THE CONSULTANT SAID.

PATIENTS ADMITTED INTO THE UNIT AT P.A.H. ARE CHARGED THE STANDARD RATE OF $3 PER DAY AND ALL OPERATIONS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.

AT PRESENT AN AVERAGE OF TEN CASES ARE BEING DEALT WITH EVERY WEEK BY THE PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE UNIT.

/THESE CASES,

Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191

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