Plastic surgery in the First World War: Gillies and skin grafts

Before WW1, Morestin (French Surgeon) worked on facial surgery

Gillies (New Zealand) doctor was aware of these developments and asked for permission to set up a plastic surgery unit in the British Army

Before WW1, French and German surgeons were developing skin grafts (using tissue from another part of the body to repair an injury)

Gillies began to experiment with ways of reconstructing facial injuries and paid particular attention in attempting to create a normal appearance

He kept careful records which included drawings of injuries and reconstruction he did

He developed new technique of pedicle tubes:

- A narrow layer of skin was lifted up from the body and stitched onto a tube at one end

-The other end was still attached to the body, meaning blood could still circulate which helped healthy skin develop

- When the tube had grown long enough the free end was attached to the new site

- Once the skin graft was in place, the pedicle tube could be cut free at the base