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Plastic Surgery Devices: A Historical, Applicable and Best Practices Perspective
Joseph Meyerson, MD
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
2015-03-14
Presenter: Joseph Meyerson
Affidavit:
All work was completed by the author.
Director Name: Gregory Pearson
Author Category: Resident Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Introduction: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is a diverse practice that utilizes technology from the cutting edge, of microsurgery, to ancient tenants of skin grafting. Within the field, there exist many different instruments and devices that are well known by practicing surgeons, although most will likely not know their origins. Examples of these common tools of the plastic surgeon include skin antiseptics, surgical drapes, electrocautery and surgical drains (i.e. Jackson-Pratt and Blake drains).
Methods: The author performed an extensive medical literature search using MEDLINE, Cochrane and online resources to perform historical background and best practices research on common everyday surgical equipment vital to plastic surgeons.
Results: Briefly, a portion of the information discovered was the first antiseptic use during surgery by Joseph Lister. Surgical drapes are colored blue or green to prevent photoreceptor desensitization according to the color-opponent theory of retinal cones. Well established is the technology of electrocautery, but little known is that its inventor, William Bovie, sold the patent for $1. Also discovered was the history of common surgical drains and the scarcely known figures (Drs. Jackson and Pratt, two neurosurgeons, and William Blake a medical-device inventor with multiple patents) and the first mention of time of removal being less than 25ml over 24hour in a paper on radical mastectomy in 1973.
Discussion: The information unearthed by the author is pertinent to every plastic surgeon practicing today and provides him or her with a historical, applicable and best practice use for common surgical devices.
