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Review
. 2022 Jun 13;36(2):120-130.
doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1750189. eCollection 2022 May.

The History of Plastic Surgery in Israel

Affiliations
Review

The History of Plastic Surgery in Israel

Yoram Wolf et al. Semin Plast Surg. .

Abstract

Today, plastic surgery is a well-known profession with highly respected surgeons from institutions all over the world. Over the last several decades numerous clinical and technological advances have been made, thanks to the dedication and hard work of these outstanding professionals; however, things were not always this way. At the turn of the 20 th century, Israel had yet to be introduced to the field of plastic surgery. However, this all changed with the War of Independence. Humanitarian aid by the prominent South African surgeon, Jack Penn, laid the foundation for the founding fathers of plastic surgery in Israel to establish a strong legacy of producing world-renowned surgeons and innovators. Through this paper, we hope to provide a brief overview of the history of plastic surgery in Israel and what transpired to give us the state of surgical practice we have today.

Keywords: Israel; Israeli Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery; history; plastic surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Jack Penn (1909–1996).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The Founding Fathers of Plastic Surgery in Israel. Standing from left to right: Zvi Neuman, Bernard Hirshowitz, Joshafat Shulman (embedded photo), Isaac Kaplan (embedded photo). Seated, from left to right: Nachum Ben-Hur, Leo Bornstein, Jack Penn.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The original books written by Jack Penn. Please notice the dedication signed by the author.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Three generations of Plastic Surgeons. From left to right: Yaron Har-Shai, Lior Har-Shai, and Bernard (Bernie) Hirshowitz.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
American optical laser operation. From right to left: Isaac Kaplan, Ralph Ger, Uzi Sharon. Published in the German newspaper, Quick, in 1972.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Sharplan CO 2 laser. The first medical CO 2 laser, presented by Uzi Sharon.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Uzi Sharon patent no. 1417907 for the surgical CO 2 laser, 1973.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
( A ) The first emblem of the Israel Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, 1965. ( B ) The current logo of the Israel Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, 2021.

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