PSN Extra

WHCRA: Past, present and the push for modernization

By Lauren McNulty & Alicia Billington, MD, PhD Monday, September 1, 2025

A small but transformative piece of legislation – the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) – was enacted in 1998 to safeguard care for millions of women. Although WHCRA was groundbreaking at the time, it was written in an era when breast reconstruction options were more limited. Today's advances in cancer treatment, reconstructive surgery and genetic testing have created scenarios not explicitly addressed when the law was enacted.

SHARE program helps secure operating microscope for Kenyan microsurgery program

By Paul Snyder Saturday, August 30, 2025

Thanks to a coordinated effort driven by ASPS members, microsurgery training – and practice – in Kenya is poised to go further than ever.

Remembering Aron Wahrman, MD, MBA, MHCDS: 1958-2025

By Michele Shermak, MD Thursday, August 28, 2025

ASPS member Aron Wahrman, MD, MBA, MHCDS, passed away Aug. 7 at age 67, leaving a huge hole in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

2025 ASPS Advocacy Summit shines light on WHCRA, ELSA and more plastic surgery priorities

By Elizabeth Corn Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Fifty-three ASPS members from 17 states expanded their role as advocates on July 7-9 when they attended the ASPS Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. The two-and-a-half-day event provided an opportunity for plastic surgeons to learn more about the state and federal legislative issues that impact plastic surgery practices and patients.

PRS Global Open marks record year for total citations, impact factor

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

PRS Global Open, the official open-access journal of ASPS, generated more than 9,200 total citations last year – a 31 percent increase over the previous year – and recorded a 20 percent increase in its impact factor, which grew to 1.8, according to the newly released 2025 Web of Science Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

ASPS member yields positive results in treatment of 'mirror hand'

By Jim Leonardo Sunday, June 1, 2025

It's estimated that only about 100 children in the world suffer from a condition called ulnar dimelia, which is more commonly known as "mirror hand."

Data collection for ASPS Procedural Statistics made simple (Really!)

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Direct data is no longer a dream. ASPS is making it easier for you to share your data for the annual Procedural Statistics Report. A partnership with the company 4th Dimension EMR, created by fellow ASPS member Robert Pollack, MD, automates data collection with the 4D EMR software.

New FDA-approved robot opens doors for microsurgery in L.A.

By Paul Snyder Tuesday, April 1, 2025

ASPS members at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles successfully completed the first robot-assisted microsurgical head and neck cancer reconstructive surgery in the United States earlier this year.

Remembering ASPS past President Norman Hugo, MD, 1933-2024

Friday, December 20, 2024

Plastic surgeons are paying tribute to ASPS past President Norman Hugo, MD, who passed away on Dec. 9 at age 91.

ASPS statement to press regarding gender surgery for adolescents

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Many ASPS members may have read the recent article titled "A Consensus No Longer" published Aug. 12 by City Journal, which cites the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as the first major medical association to challenge the "consensus" of medical groups over gender surgery for minors.