Joseph Murray: Pioneering Plastic Surgeon and Father of the First Organ Transplant

Dr. Joseph Murray was a plastic surgeon who is best known for performing the first successful human organ transplant. After graduating from Harvard Medical School and completing a surgical internship at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Murray enlisted in the US Army Medical Corp and spent 5 years at Valley Forge General Hospital treating World War II soldiers injured in combat. He treated hundreds of burn victims with skin grafts and took an interest in the variable process of graft rejection based on both the patient’s relation to the graft donor and the patient’s level of immunocompetency. His work at Valley Forge set the stage for his research investigating the feasibility of kidney transplantation and immunosuppression. He went on to perform the first successful kidney transplant between identical twins in 1954, between fraternal twins in 1959, and between an unrelated donor and recipient in 1962. For his efforts, he was awarded the 1990 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Evolution of Hair Transplant Surgery in India: A Plastic Surgeon's Perspective

This article is mainly aimed to delve into the history of hair transplant and its evolution in India. As a plastic surgeon in practice for the past 35 years, I have seen hair transplant surgery undergoing various transformations starting with initial use of plugs and flaps. Scalp reduction surgery also played an important role. Plugs slowly gave way to mini- and micrografts. With the incorporation of the microscope and popularizing of strip surgery and improved slivering techniques, mega sessions came to the fore thereby covering large areas. Follicular unit extraction and use of body hair have also been discussed.

LeFort Fractures

Consultations for management of facial fractures in the emergency setting are not uncommon for the oral maxillofacial surgeon, otolaryngologist, and/or plastic surgeon. This necessitates a knowledge foundation and working understanding of the evaluation, assessment, and timely management. Here, we will focus on the workup and management of LeFort fractures.

In-office Endonasal Minor Revision Rhinoplasty

The revision rhinoplasty presents many unique challenges to the facial plastic surgeon. While many cases will require a full revision in the operating room, there are several isolated deformities which may be repaired in the office via an endonasal approach. This provides many benefits to the patient and surgeon including decreased cost, shorter recovery time, avoidance of general anesthesia, and less discomfort. It is critical to identify defects appropriate for endonasal repair, establish clear expectations with the patient, and work within one's skill set and level of experience. The surgeon who can comfortably navigate both open and endonasal techniques can offer their patients a comprehensive set of solutions for revision rhinoplasty. In this article we outline the defects amenable to this type of repair as well as technical considerations for each defect addressed. We hope it serves as a useful framework for the range of deformities the rhinoplasty surgeon may take on for in-office repair.