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. 2007 Jul;120(1):327-336.
doi: 10.1097/01.prs.0000264445.76315.6d.

The birth of plastic surgery: the story of nasal reconstruction from the Edwin Smith Papyrus to the twenty-first century

Iain S Whitaker  1 , Richard O Karoo, George Spyrou, Oliver M Fenton
Affiliations
Free article

The birth of plastic surgery: the story of nasal reconstruction from the Edwin Smith Papyrus to the twenty-first century

Iain S Whitaker et al. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2007 Jul.
Free article

Abstract

Background: The nose is the central and most prominent feature on the human face; and on its shape, size, and appearance depends the relative facial beauty of the person. The objective of this article was to give a succinct and interesting account of the development of nasal reconstruction from antiquity to the present day.

Methods: The authors present the story of nasal reconstruction, including those contributions not often cited in the English literature using articles sourced from MEDLINE, ancient manuscripts, original quotes, techniques, and illustrations.

Results: The story of rhinoplasty is one of peaks of achievement by individuals such as Sushruta, Branca, Tagliocozzi, Roe, and Joseph. Since Roe introduced the concept of cosmetic rhinoplasty, the evolution of nasal reconstructive techniques has reached such a level that the expectation is not only to restore form and function, but also to achieve excellent cosmetic appearance.

Conclusions: Although repair of nasal injuries is the oldest form of reconstructive surgery, being cited in Egyptian papyrus inscriptions such as the Edwin Smith Papyrus dating back to 2500 to 3000 BC, its complexity continues to challenge surgeons today. This article is dedicated to those individuals who have devoted their lives and work to the advancement of the field of plastic surgery for the benefit of mankind.

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Comment in

  • Corrections to the birth of plastic surgery.
    Freshwater MF. Freshwater MF. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008 Mar;121(3):1071-1072. doi: 10.1097/01.prs.0000299650.42315.13. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008. PMID: 18317175 No abstract available.

References

    1. McDowell, F. The Source Book of Plastic Surgery. Baltimore: Waverly Press, 1977.
    1. Gnudi, M. T., and Webster, J. P. The Life and Times of Gaspare Tagliocozzi, Surgeon of Bologna, 1545-1599. New York: H. Reichner, 1950.
    1. Ortiz-Monasterio, F., and Olmedo, A. Reconstruction of major nasal defects. Clin. Plast. Surg. 8: 565, 1981.
    1. Breasted, J. H. Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus. In Facsimile and Hieroglyphic Transliteration with Translation and Commentary. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1930.
    1. Lascaratos, J. G., Segas, J. V., Trompoukis, C. C., and Assimakopoulos, D. A. From the roots of rhinology: The reconstruction of nasal injuries by Hippocrates. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 112: 159, 2003.

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