Engineering a New Era: Will Autogenous Tissue Remain the Gold Standard for Head and Neck Reconstruction?

The evolution of head and neck reconstruction dates to approximately 1000 B.C. when Sushruta, the father of Indian surgery, introduced the theory for arguably the first regional pedicled flap in rhinoplasty. Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Persian and Indian civilizations expanded on this medical marvel by contributing to discoveries in human anatomy, while Roman physicians described possibilities for local tissue rearrangements for nearly all segments of the face. Following centuries of advancements through different eras with varying types of tissue transfer, the pioneering of free flap surgery dominated the 1960 ’s and 1970’s, most notably the fibular osseous and iliac osteocutaenous flaps (1).
Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Source Type: research