Dr. Yuen-Jong Liu is a plastic surgeon and hand surgeon based in Darien, CT, and serves all of Fairfield County in Western Connecticut. He is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has extensive experience tending to a multitude of injuries, such as dog bites, slip & fall accidents, motor vehicle accidents, and many more. He completed a hand and microsurgery fellowship at Yale University, plastic surgery residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and general surgery residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Liu graduated with an M.D. from Yale Medical School and a B.A. summa cum laude from Harvard University in computer science and biochemical sciences.

What do you do as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and how long have you been involved in this line of work?

Reconstructive SurgeryI am a board-certified plastic surgeon and I perform the entire spectrum of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, including facial rejuvenation, facial reconstruction after cancer or trauma, breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast reconstruction, abdominoplasty, liposuction, body contouring, and complex reconstruction including microsurgical free flap surgery. I am also fellowship-trained in hand and wrist surgery, microsurgery, and peripheral nerve surgery. I have been a surgeon for over 10 years.  I started my surgical practice in Darien in order to bring the most advanced cosmetic and reconstructive techniques from Harvard, Yale, and UNC to Fairfield County. I am committed to making patients whole again, by restoring them to their peak form and function.

What about your work gives you the most satisfaction?

The most gratifying part of reconstructive surgery is to make patients whole again. I reconstruct the face and the jaw, allowing patients to return to normal eating. I reconstruct the hands, allowing patients to return to work and to return to hobbies. I reconstruct peripheral nerves, restoring movement and sensation. I perform limb salvage surgery for patients after devastating injuries, such as car accidents, which allow them to walk again without amputation of the legs.

If you could get across one message about your line of work or your industry, what would it be?

If life gives you lemons, an operation can turn them into melons.

How could plastic or reconstructive surgery help injured people or people recovering from an accidental injury?

One of the guiding principles of plastic surgery is to replace missing tissue with similar tissue, often using “spare parts” from other parts of the body. This requires detailed knowledge of human anatomy.

What is the most common type of reconstructive surgery you’ve performed throughout your career?

Every reconstruction is unique and must be custom-tailored to the patient. I perform a lot of flap surgery, in which a unit of tissue is transferred from one site, called the donor site, to another, called the recipient site, while maintaining its own blood supply. I also perform microsurgical free flap surgery, in which a unit of tissue is disconnected from its original blood supply, moved a significant distance to the recipient site, and reconnected to a new blood supply. This type of surgery is extremely delicate, as the arteries and veins are only a few millimeters wide.

What advice do you have for an injured person who is a candidate for your services?

A patient should bring the following items to the appointment:

  • Insurance card or workers’ compensation claim information
  • List of current medications and medical conditions
  • Address and phone of the primary care physician and other physicians involved
  • Recent tests such as X-rays, CT, MRI, or nerve conduction studies

Pro Tip:   Personal injury cases that involve significant injuries sometimes require surgical intervention and the services of a board-certified plastic surgeon who can help in the speed of your convalescence for a variety of accident cases. Should you have any questions about your Connecticut accident case, please contact us.