I had a septoplasty does on my nose a while back. I'm familiar with the term rhinoplasty, but I didn't know the origin of the suffix. I just saw an interesting video on a different kind of -plasty, called a rotationplasty:

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2011/05/little-leaguer-leg-reversal/

So I googled and found: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=-plasty

which says that -plasty derives from the Greek plastos meaning moulded or formed.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-plasty
says a -plasty is moulding or forming through a surgical procedure.

I never ceased to be amazed at what can be one surgically
these days. Thanks for sharing this. I had never heard
of it, and learned something new.

Thanks, FF--I didn't know that either.

But--why, then, are pottery items not something-plasties?

from the Greek plastos meaning moulded or formed.
And thus the word plastic?

rotationplasty: There are time when ingenuity just stuns me.

And I assume thats where the specialised Plastic Surgery comes from.

Did you read recently surgeons have transplanted a persons face, successfully...with remodelling of course.

More than one time. There was a man on the news this
week who had the surgery. His child said he looked great.
It must give a lot of hope.

I'm thinking its the same one.....
First full face transplant

Yes, that is the same one. There was a lady before him, however,
I don't remember where, but about a year ago.