Background: Orthoplastics represents a collaborative interface between plastic and orthopaedic surgery, focused on the reconstruction of complex limb injuries. Despite its increasing clinical importance, there is limited literature assessing orthoplastic exposure within plastic surgery and orthopaedic training programmes. This review aims to evaluate training patterns and trainee exposure to orthoplastic procedures.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed, limited to the last ten years (2015–2025). MeSH terms included “orthoplastic,” “plastic surgery,” “orthopaedic surgery,” and “trainee exposure.” Studies assessing operative exposure, educational experiences, or training outcomes in orthoplastic or orthoplastic-type settings were included.

Results: Fifteen PubMed-indexed articles met the search criteria. Key findings include:

Mean orthoplastic-type cases per plastic surgery resident increased from 168.2 to 189.2 between 2011–2022, with peripheral nerve repairs rising 73 %.

Plastic surgery residents consistently had higher hand and trauma case volumes than orthopaedic residents (e.g., total hand cases: 412 vs 247 respectively).

Orthopaedic residents performed more trauma cases (mean: 133.2 vs 54.5 for plastic residents) but had limited exposure to nerve repair and micro-surgical procedures.Integrated orthoplastic services significantly increased operative exposure for both specialties (mean hand cases from 218 to 295).

Conclusions: Over the past decade, orthoplastic exposure for surgical residents has increased but remains inconsistent. These findings highlight the need for structured, multidisciplinary rotations to standardise training and enhance competence in limb reconstruction across plastic surgery and orthopaedic programmes. Future study could involve a UK-based national survey to scope surgical trainees’ attitudes towards the integration of orthoplastics within the general surgical training pathways.