The division provides tertiary care in plastic surgery for the Hamilton-Wentworth and central west regions of Ontario. Although the full spectrum of plastic surgery procedures is undertaken in all institutions, the regionalization of plastic surgery services, which has been underway since the 1970’s, has led to specialized Plastic Surgery Units at each of the two main institutions. 

The Hamilton General site of the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation (HHSC) is designated as the Regional Trauma Centre for burn management, maxillofacial and extremity trauma. Also located at this site are the Regional Burn Unit and the Hyperbaric Oxygen Unit. The Burn Unit, which is the second busiest in the province, admits approximately 120 burn cases per year and runs an outpatient burn clinic daily. Plastic surgeons at the site provide support to the Trauma Program, as well as cardiac and general surgery services. 

At the Juravinski Cancer Centre site, faculty members primarily support the oncology program though sentinel node dissections and reconstruction following removal of breast, cutaneous sarcoma and lower extremity and pelvic tumors. The McMaster University Medical Centre (MUMC) site of the HHSC provides care for cleft lip and palate, craniofacial deformities, congenital hand deformities and brachial plexus injuries. Although both pediatric and adult plastic surgery covering the spectrum of the specialty is undertaken, the main focus is pediatric surgery. St. Joseph’s Healthcare provides reconstructive plastic surgery covering the full spectrum, including skin cancer, extremity reconstruction, breast reconstruction and head and neck microsurgery. Elective and emergency hand cases are seen in this institution, with busy hand clinics located at the main hospital on Charlton Street and the satellite Ambulatory Facility located in East Hamilton.