Healing of Wounds and the Development of Surgery

Abstract

This book covers the history of plastic surgery from the remarkable achievements of such ancient civilizations as India and Egypt, through the classical times of ancient Greece and Rome, up to the revolutionary techniques developed at the end of the Middle Age, the Renaissance and beyond. It reveals how surgical progress has usually relied on a parallel development in anatomy. Coverage first explains how the knowledge of wound healing has changed and influenced plastic surgery. It follows the development of the basic techniques of the specialty, such as skin flaps, the grafting of skin and other tissues throughout the centuries. The book then describes the development of various surgical reconstructive procedures, showing how techniques that are routine today have evolved thanks to the ingenuity of our surgical ancestors. In addition, the book details the birth of Cosmetic Surgery and describes its rapid development as well as stresses the efforts required to overcome prejudices and criticism. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.