New directions in plastic surgery research.

Plastic surgery research affords tremendous opportunities in a variety of affluent mode systems. Only recently have researchers applied molecular biologic techniques to common plastic surgery problems. For example, investigating the fundamental biomolecular mechanisms of normal palate and cranial suture morphogenesis will improve the understanding of the etiopathogenesis of CLP and craniosynostosis and facilitate the development of biologically-based interventions. Furthermore, as interdisciplinary collaborations improve, surgeons can expect to see remarkable progress in de novo tissue synthesis, replacement, and repair. Ultimately, they may one day find that gene-modified endogenous tissue engineering will succeed today's biocompatible scaffolds and allogeneic or zenogeneic replacement strategies. In general, plastic surgeons can look forward to the development of highly effective biomolecular treatments for clinical problems such as complex wound repair, prolific scarring, bone deficits (or surpluses), and organ system replacement or repair. Researchers believe that biologically-based strategies like these will be combined with technical advances that harness minimally invasive approaches. Together, clinicians expect these new tactics will reduce morbidity and improve the results of clinical problems treated by plastic surgeons.