Surgery from 1900 – 2000

1901: Discovery of the main blood types A, B, AB and 0 by Karl Landsteiner (1868 – 1943) an Austrian doctor, biologist and immunologist. His findings led to the first successful blood transfer in New York in 1907. In 1923 he discovered the rhesus factor, allowing blood to be transfused safely.¹

1906: First description of the Lattisimus Dorsi flap (musculocutaneous flap) for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction, by Iginio Tansini (1855 – ?). Italian surgeon, born in Milan. ². The flap enables reconstruction of the breast without scaring in the axilla, compared to local transposition flaps.

1894: First published paper on radical mastectomy by William Stewart Halsted (1852 – 1922), American surgeon, New York. Published a series of 50 operated patients.³

1917: One of the first documented plastic surgery procedures of modern times. A sailor from “the battle of Jutland” receives a flap to cover skin trauma in the peri-orbital region.⁴ Surgery is performed by Harold Gillies (1882 – 1960), originally an otolaryngologist from New Zealand.

Harold Gillies is considered the father of plastic surgery, operating several wounded English soldiers through World War I. Gillies continued his practice through World War II as a consultant to the ministry of health. His last operation was the 3rd of August 1960, at the age of 78 where he suffered a minor stroke. He died shortly thereafter, 10^th of September 1960.⁵

1914-1918 + 1939-1945: World War I and II lead to experimentation of alloplastic implants using metals like gold, silver, stainless steel and aluminium.⁶

1921: First microsurgery procedure by Carl-Olof Siggesson Nylén (1892 – 1979). Swedish otorhinolaryngist, who operated a patient with chronic otitis media using a monocular microscope. Nylén also competed in Tennis at the Summer Olympics.⁷

1931: One of the first patients, Lili Elbe, former Einar Wegener (1882 – 13 Sept 1931) receives sex reassignment surgery from male to female. Performed in Berlin. Dies from the complications of the later uterus transplantation.⁸

1936: Founding of the first European society for Plastic Surgery – Société Européenne de Chirurgie Structive. Founded by Belgian Maurice Coelst (1894-1963). Held yearly meetings. The first meeting in Brussels, second (1937) in London by Kilner and the third (1938) in Milano by Sanvenero Rosselli.⁹

1940: Penicillin is isolated, mass-produced and used against infections during WWII. Penicillin was already discovered by Alexander Fleming (1881 – 1955) by accident in 1928, during an experiment with staphylococcus, where an uncovered petri dish next to the window was contaminated with mold spores.¹⁰

1946: Harold Gillies performs sex reassignment surgery from female to male.¹¹

1956: The subspecialty of Plastic Surgery is recognized in Denmark.¹²

1963: First liver transplant, performed by Thomas Starzl (1926 – 2017). American physician and expert in organ transplants. ¹³

1964: The Danish Society in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is formed by the Danish consultants Grete Olsen, Michael Pers and Henrik Poulsen.¹²

1965: Use of titanium as alloplast in cranial and facial bone reconstruction by Simpson. The titanium has high strength, may be bent, has inertness and relative radiolucency.¹⁴

1967: First successful heart transplant by Christian Barnard (1922 – 2001). South African thoracic surgeon. Performed at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town.¹⁵

1967: Founding of ASAPS – American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.¹⁶ The Society publishes official articles in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.¹⁷

1969: First successful microvascular transplant of the omentum to fill a large skull defect. By Doctor Donald McLean and Dr. Buncke, at Oak Knoll.¹⁸

1970: Founding of ISAPS – International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Draft of constitution in Sao Paolo in 1969. Finally founded in 1970 in the headquarters of the United Nations, New York, to reaffirm the international collaboration.¹⁹

1970: Development of blunt wet (cannula-assisted) Liposuction by Yves Gerard Illouz (1929 – 2015). The tumescent technique which is still used today involves the infiltration of saline and adrenaline to avoid bleeding. ²⁰

1980: Grafting of autologous fat for reconstruction of the breast.²¹

1984, May: The Danish Microsurgical Society is founded.²²

1985: First laparoscopic cholecystectomy by surgeon Phillipe Mouret, in France.^23, 24

1989: Merging of all European Plastic Surgery Societies to form EURAPS – European Association of Plastic Surgeons.⁹

1989: First published refractive eye laser surgery (corneal surgery) with ablative excimer laser, by Marguerite McDonald.²⁵

1997: Cloning of the lamb ”Dolly” from stem cells at the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.²⁶

1998: First successful hand transplant by French Plastic surgeon Jean-Michel Dubernard (1941 – ) and Australian Microsurgeon and Professor Earl Owen. ²⁷