 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Men and women of all ages and from all walks of life benefit from the advancements in modern cosmetic and reconstructive surgical techniques in Plastic Surgery to enhance the quality of life. Plastic Surgery helps correct congenital deformities or to simply improve your overall appearance and self-confidence, and has been known to be practised for centuries from the earliest of civilizations. The history of plastic surgery, the reshaping of body tissues for reconstructive or cosmetic purposes, dates back to antiquity. The ancient Egyptians are thought to have performed plastic surgery as early as 3400 BC with some early papyri containing the first descriptions of the surgical treatment of damaged noses and jaws. Early records from about 600 BC of reconstructive plastic surgery in ancient India are available where the medical chronicle Sushruta Samhita describes how amputated noses of criminals were recreated by using skin from the forehead. Elsewhere, cleft lip repair was practiced from the fourth century of the Chin dynasty. The first century Romans are known to have been able to perform reconstructive plastic surgery techniques such as repairing ears, lips and noses damaged in wars. It is widely acknowledged that reconstructive plastic surgery traces its origin to ancient India and that with the Islamic conquest of India in the 10th century, the Indian techniques of reconstructive nasal surgery were passed on to the Islamic world, which in turn may have bestowed this knowledge upon Europe with the Arabic invasion of Sicily during the 9th to 12th centuries. Interestingly, it was in 15th century Sicily that the Indian method of surgical nasal reconstruction was reintroduced in the year 1442 or so. With the advent of the Renaissance in the 14th century surgery in general and plastic surgery in particular received renewed attention. Most of the initial interest in plastic surgery was confined to Rhinoplasty, the surgical reconstruction of mutilated noses. It was with the advent of the 19th century that the field of reconstructive plastic surgery began to make rapid advances. In 1818 Von Graefe, a surgeon in Germany first used the word "plastic" to describe the reconstructive surgery on damaged facial features. Another German surgeon, Jacques Joseph, hailed as the father of modern Rhinoplasty published an account of reduction rhinoplasty in 1898. While nasal reconstruction can be considered the premier and most widely used technique in reconstructive plastic surgery initially, there were also significant developments taking place in related fields like skin grafting, maxillofacial surgery, palatoplasty, and cheiloplasty. Developments in reconstructive plastic surgery were not confined to Europe alone in the 19th century. Across the Atlantic, the American surgical fraternity too were making rapid progress in the field of plastic surgery in the early part of the 19th century. The first cleft palate surgery in America was performed in 1827. And the 19th century also saw the blossoming of aesthetic plastic surgery (or Cosmetic Plastic Surgery) into its own with the rising acceptability of aesthetic rhinoplasty for aesthetic ends alone. However, this period also witnessed the rampant commercialization of cosmetic plastic surgery practices, often by "plastic surgeons" of questionable training, skill, and ethics. This in turn created an unfavorable impression among the general public for reconstructive and aesthetic surgery which were already under pressure from the world of academic surgery. Aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery procedures were not considered as vital as, say, the lifesaving procedures of an abdominal surgeon, by the surgical fraternity and most respected surgeons avoiding the practice of plastic surgery altogether. By the end of the 19th century, few, if any reputable surgeons devoted themselves exclusively to the practice of reconstructive or cosmetic plastic surgery. The 20th century saw the greatest developments in reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery take place. Above everything else, it were the two World Wars and the thousands of wounded soldiers they produced that acted as the catalyst for the advancement of reconstructive plastic surgery. World War I produced scores of severe facial wounds and burns. The unprecedented volume of injuries, especially of head trauma caused by trench warfare, helped reconstructive plastic surgery make rapid advancements, especially in the field of maxillofacial surgery. It was also in the treatment of such cases that aesthetic plastic surgery began to take its rightful place along with reconstructive surgery in the history of plastic surgery, as surgeons realized the necessity of restoring the physical appearances of the wounded soldiers to help them lead normal lives again. Through the sheer efforts of plastic surgeons during the war many lives that would have otherwise had to shun society because of disfigurements were restored, and plastic surgery caught the admiration of the public. Sir Harold Gillies, considered by many to be the father of modern plastic surgery, developed many of the techniques of modern plastic surgery in caring for those who suffered facial injuries in World War I. He also travelled around the world and trained many surgeons in plastic surgery. Incidentally, it was during one of his visits to India that he formally inaugurated the Plastic Surgery section of the Association of Surgeons of India. The 1920s and 1930s saw the formation of numerous professional and academic societies pertaining to the practice of reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery. And the interest in cosmetic plastic surgery that had waned in the late 19th century witnessed a resurgence on both sides of the Atlantic. The period also witnessed the beginnings of the fascination of the nascent entertainment industry with cosmetic plastic surgery. One of the earliest celebrities to undergo cosmetic plastic surgery was the American actress Fanny Brice. Cosmetic plastic surgery thrived in America during the 20s and 30s but it was not so well developed in the rest of the world. For instance, it is said that there were only four dedicated plastic surgeons in Britain before the 2nd World War started! It was perhaps during World War II that some of the greatest medical advances in the field of reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery were made. The major improvements in plastic surgery were no doubt aided by the advancements in anesthesia, the use of plasma for resuscitation, and the use of penicillin to control infections. Plastic surgery treatment and training centers established during the war helped propagate plastic surgery techniques and procedures throughout the world. One of the most significant advancements in reconstructive plastic surgery was probably the development of microsurgery in the 1950s. and the specialty of plastic surgery has grown tremendously during the last 50 years. The 60s and 70s saw the field of plastic surgery make rapid strides in treatment and awareness among the public, starting with the evolution of modern silicone-based implants in the early 1960s. Currently, the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures performed by plastic surgeons is liposuction followed by breast augmentation. Other popular aesthetic cosmetic surgery procedures include Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery, Mastopexy or the raising of sagging breasts, Rhinoplasty or reshaping of the nose, Otoplasty or ear surgery, Rhytidectomy or face lift, Chin augmentation, and Cheek augmentation. Common reconstructive plastic surgery techniques relate to breast reconstruction for women who have had a mastectomy, cleft lip and palate surgery, contracture surgery for burn survivors, and closing skin defects after the removal of tumors in the head and neck regions. Throughout the centuries plastic surgery has strived to restore normal human form and function to many that are afflicted one way or another. And if plastic surgery has achieved its own distinct identity and respectability today, it was attained only through the selfless devotion of those early practioners of plastic surgery who were committed to the betterment of their fellow beings. Through their initial efforts and through the continuing efforts of their modern-day counterparts, lives will continue to be touched, dreams will be realized, and smiles will continue to linger on the faces of men, women, and children. |
|