History of plastic surgery: art, philosophy, and rhinoplasty

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery
Author(s): Valdas Macionis
The two-hundredth anniversary of K. F. Graefe's "Rhinoplasty", E. Zeis' naming of the specialty of plastic surgery in 1838, and the continuing discussion on what is plastic surgery have prompted this historical-conceptual review with an analytic semantic insight into the meaning of the word "plastic". A literature search has revealed that this term has a dual content composed of an artistic and a philosophic aspect. Progressive development of these two connotations can be traced from their birth in the ceramics and myths of the ancient Greece to their metamorphoses in the fine arts, science, and plasticity philosophy of our days. Although the names of plastic procedures and the title of the specialty carry both features, the philosophical notion is less evident. This article underlines the importance of etymological history in interpretation of the concept of plastic surgery.