The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-07-02
REcoNsrRucrlHo A FACE.
Extraordinary Success In the Transpianta.
ti0n of Flesh.

Bertha Kistler, who for eighteen months
has been under treatment by the surgeon
of the Presbyterian Hospital, in New York,
has left the institution living, grateful
monument Of surgical ingenuity and skill
Bertha Kistler is now about 20 ysars old,
and fifteen years ago she was treated by an
unskillful surgeon In Germany for sup
posed cancerous growth on the cheek. The
ailment proved to be another character, but
the operation destroyed all symmetry of the
childs face, leaving large hole in the
cheek, and the mouth and nose frightfully
distorted. Eighteen months ago the girl
called on DIR. Shrady to discover If any,
thing could be done to remedy her deform-
ity.
She was only poor working girl, but
begged to go to the hospital and pay for
treatment by work. Dr. Shrady held out
little encouragement 10 her, but at last con-
scented to undertake the task of building up
virtually new countenance. Soon after
the first operation was performed, aud in
the course of year ii was followed by six
/
over by transplantation of flesh from adj
iacent parts.
The most important step in the treatment
OF the case was the filling up of the hole in
the face. For this purpose large skin
flap was wanted. It was obtained in the
following manner; A rectangular section
of skin was partially separated from the
girls left arm above the elbow An in.
cision was made in the side of the fore.
finger 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 detached edge Of the skin flap was
sewed into the incision in the finger with
tine silver wire. The hand and arm were
kept immovabie by plastic bandages. In
about week the skin flap became united
to the hand, but the flap was principally
nourished from the arm. To change the
current of nutrition the flap was gradually
cut from the arm, and when ii 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 in 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, whom entirely separated from the
hand the skin flap taken from the arm be.
came the foundation of now cheek.
With natural anxiety tho surgeon
watched the growth of the flesh, and at last
had tho satisfaction of demonstrating In
dubitably the feasibility Of transportation
of flesh from one part of the body to an
other by using the hand as medium. Now
difficulties then arose. The surface of the
face was rehabilitated, but the girls mouth
Yves drawn out of shape to such an extent
that tho corner was almost directly under
the nose.
70 restore the mouth DR. Bhrady decided
10 enlarge II ON one side an6 sew it up ON
the other, and after this was done the lips
were cut into true and proper shape and all
traces of distortion had disappeared. With
the success of this last operation, which
made twenty in ALL the labor was ended,
and nothing was left but to await the heal
ing of the missions. These have at last
become satisfactory and the girls face is
shapely once more, but of course, slightly
disfgured by scars. Most of these, how.
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