144. The Role of Plastic Surgery in Addressing the Global Burden of Disease: Plastic Surgery and the Sustainable Development Goals

PURPOSE: Surgical conditions account for nearly one-third of the global burden of disease. Plastic surgeons play a vital role in treating many of these conditions, including congenital deformities, wound care, acute burn care and reconstruction, traumatic injuries, and oncologic reconstruction. We examine the role of plastic surgeons in addressing the sustainable development goals (SDGs), a 17-part call to action adopted by the United Nations. METHODS: We reviewed each of the 170 subgoals of the 17 SDGs and analyzed them for relevance to plastic surgery. We conducted a literature review to identify evidence of how plastic surgery supports each subgoal and SDG. RESULTS: Plastic surgical interventions can advance 50 of the 170 (28%) subgoals and 11 of the 17 SDGs (65%). Most applications were evident in SDG 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” Examples of plastic surgery applications in the SDGs include reconstructive efforts for congenital anomalies, traumatic and accidental injuries, such as road traffic accidents, encouragement of smoking cessation, and mitigating mortality and morbidity from environmental and chemical exposures. CONCLUSION: Our study identifies the meaningful and unique ways that plastic surgery can advance the SDGs and address the global burden of surgical disease. This supports the integration of plastic surgery into broader public health efforts to build surgical capacity.