Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery advances clinical excellence by integrating cutting-edge technology and innovative techniques, ensuring superior patient care.
Transforming Lives Through Surgical Excellence
The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery provides a comprehensive range of treatments, from small cosmetic procedures to cases requiring complex reconstruction. Areas of specialty include:
- Hand Surgery
- Craniofacial surgery
- Pediatric plastic surgery
- Microsurgery
- Breast and oncologic reconstruction
- Aesthetic surgery
- Peripheral nerve surgery
- Lymphatic surgery
- Wound care
- Acute and reconstructive burn care
Committed to the School of Medicine’s Jesuit mission, surgeons emphasize excellence, compassion and the dignity of human life.
The division also offers comprehensive, high-volume residency training.
History of SLU Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The Division of Plastic Surgery has a storied history of leadership, most notably with Francis X. Paletta, M.D., one of the first plastic surgeons in St. Louis who was highly regarded in the national surgical community.
Paletta Leadership Highlights
- Plastic Surgery Program: SLU’s plastic surgery program began when C. Rollins Hanlon, M.D., the first full-time chairman of the Department of Surgery, invited Paletta to join the faculty in 1950.
- Residency Program: Paletta founded the plastic surgery residency in 1957. William Stoneman III, M.D., his first resident, was later appointed dean of the School of Medicine from 1982 to 1994.
- National Leadership: In 1968, Paletta was elected president of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
- Academic Influence: Paletta was a founding member of the Plastic Surgery Research Council and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
Both the Department of Surgery and the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery have enjoyed strong, consistent leadership and a culture of excellence. The division has a robust research program and now boasts cutting-edge technology and techniques, including 3D printing and lymphatic supermicrosurgery.