The promise of surgery, its scope and limitations in leprosy

摘要

Leprosy is a systemic disease mainly manifested in skin and nerves. The nerves affected are the cutaneous and trunk nerves, especially those located superficially. Early treatment of the disease prevents deformity or disability. Otherwise, the continuing disease process and immune reaction, either by direct involvement of tissues or secondarily through destruction of some trunk nerves, results in deformities and disabilities. All of these complicatinos are amenable to surgical treatment, the result being excellent when the surgery is performed early.