Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-23
REcoNsrRUCr1NG A FACE.
Extraordinary Success in the Trans.
plantation of FIesh-A Girls Patience

Extraordinary Success in the Trans
plantation of Flesh-A Girls Patience.
Bertha Kistler, who for eighteen months
has been under treatment by DR.. George
F. Shrady, visiting surgeon of the Presby-
terrain Hospital, says the New York
Herald, left the institution yesterday a
living, grateful monument of surgical in
genuity and skill. Bertha Kistler is now
about twenty years old, and fifteen years
ago she was treated by an unskillfuI sur
geOn in Germany for supposed cancer
Gus growth in the left cheek. The ailment
proved to be of another character, but the
operation destroyed all symmetry of the
child's face, leaving a large hole in the
cheek, and the mouth and nose frightfullv
distorted. Eighteen months ago the girl
called on DR. Shrady to discover if any
thing could be done to remedy her de-
formity.
She was only a poor working girl, but
begged to 90 to the hospital and pay for
treatment by work. DR.. Shrady held out
little encouragement to her, but at last
consented to undertake the task of build
ing up virtually new cOuntenance. Soon
after the first operation was performed,
and in the course of year it was followed
by sixteen others. Most of the face was
made over by transportation of flesh from
adjacent parts.
The most important step in the treat
ment of the case was the filling up of the
hole in the face. For this purpose large
skin flap was wanted. 1t was obtained
by DR.. Shrady in the following manner
A rectangular section of skin was par
italy separated from the girls left arm
above the elbow. An incision was made
in the side Of the fOrefnger of the right
hand, extending from the first joint
around to the thumb. The hand was then
brought over to the left arm, and the de-
tached edge of the skin flap was sewed
into the incision in the finger with fine
silver wire. The hand and arm were
kept immovabe by plastic bandages.
In about week the skin flap became
united to the hand, but the flap was
principally nOuTished from the arm. To
change the current of nutrition the flap
was gradually cut from the arm, and
when it had been nearly severed the
finger, and not the arm, kept the skin
flap alive. When this became apparent
the entire skin flap was amputated from
the arm. The hand, with the ingrown
flap, was then brought up to the face, the
SCARED skin on the left cheek was raised
and the flap was inserted underneath.
The hand was kept in position by plastic
bandages and plastic cap. In three
weeks the flap became attached to the
face; the current of nOurishment was
changed by gradual amputatiOn from the
finger, and finally, when entirely sepa-
rated from the hand, the skin flap taken
from the arm became the foundation of a
new cheek.
With natural anxiety DIR. Shrady
watched the growth of the flesh, and at
last had the satisfaction of demonstrating
indubitably the feasibility of transplanta-
ton OF flesh from one part of the body to
another by using the hand as medium.
New difficulties then arose. The surface
of the face was rehabilitated, but the
girls mouth was drawn out of shape to
such an extent that the corner was al
most directly under the nose.
To restore the mouth DIR. Shrady de-
cided to enlarge it on one side and sew it
up on the other, and after this was done
the lips were cut into the true and proper
shape and ali traces of distortion had dis
appeared. With the success of this last
operation, which made twenty in all, the
labor was ended, and nothing was left
but to await the healing of the missions.
These have at last become satisfactory
and the girls face is shapely once more,
but, of course, slightly disfigured by scars.
Most of these, however, are from straight,
clean cuts, and it is expected that even
IhCJ VIII CfCHlNldllg bCCOuG ulp6I-
ceptible.
From the first moment OF her long mar
tyrdom the girl has not faltered for an in
slant, but has even been impatient for the
next step. Sometimes the doctor. would
try to persuade her to fOrego for time
the operation, but she persisted in her de-
sire. A singular feature of the case is,
that Notwithstanding the suffering she
must have experienced, she has grown
very fat. She has been constantly the re-
cipient Of flowers, wines and delicacies of
various kinds from people who, though
strangers to her, have become interested
in her singular and remarkable patience.
The gratitude she evinces toward Dr..
Shrady is unreasonable. She is now in
the most buOyant spirits, and is looking
forward with delight to the prospect of
attending family gathering to take place
next month