The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-07-03
RECoNsrKUCr1NG A FACE
Extraordinary Success in the Trans
essFsE plantation of Flesh. - E


gszEsE plantation of Flesh. %
Bertha Kistler, who for eighteer
months has been under the treatmen'
of DR.. George F. Shrady, visiting sur.
geon to the Presbyterian hospital, left
that institution recently loving, CRATE
full monument of surgical ingenuity and
skill. Bertha Kistler is now about &c
years old. and fifteen years ago she
was treated by an unskilled surgeon in
Germany for supposed cancerous
growth on her left cheek. The ailment
proved to be of another character, but
the operation destroyed all symmetry
OF the child's 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 deformity.
She was only poor working girl. but
begged to go to the hospital and pay
for treatment by work. The doctor
held out but little encouragement. but
at last consented to attempt the task of
building up virtually new counte-
nance. Soon after the first operation
was performed, and in the course of q
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 was the filling up OF the hole in
the face. For this purpose q large skin
flap was wanted. 1t was obtained in
the following manner: A rectangular
section of skin was partially separated
from the girls left arm above the ell
bow. An incision was made in the side
of the forefinger 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 sew
ed into the incision in the. finger with
fine silver wire. The hand and arm
we're kept immovable by plastic band
ages. In about q week the skin flap
became united to the hand, but the flap
was principally nourished from the
arm. To change the current of nutri-
ton, the flap was gradually cut from
the arm, and when it had been nearly
severed the finger and not the arm kept
tho skin flap alive. When this became
apparent the entire skin flap was am
putated from the arm. The hand,
with the ingrown skin flap was then
brought up to the face, the SCARED
skin on the left cheek was then raised
and the flap was inserted underneath!
The hand was kept in position by plas
tic 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 en-
tirely separated from the hand, the
skin flap taken from the arm became
the foundation of q new cheek.
With natural anxiety the doctor
watched the growth of the flesh, and at
last had the satisfaction of demonstra-
ting Individually the feasibility of trans
plantation of flesh from one part of the
body TO another by using the hand as o
medium. New difficulties then arose.
Tho surface of the face was rehabili-
tated, but the girls mouth was drawn
out of shape to such an extent that the
corner was almost directly under her
nose.
To restore the mouth DR.. 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 all traces of dis
tortion had disappeared. With the
success of this last operation, which
made twenty in all, the labor was end
ed, and nothing remained but await
the healing of the incisions. These at
| last became satisfactory and the girls
face is shapely once more, but. of
course, slightly distigured by scars.
Most of these, however, are from clean
straight cuts, and it is expected that
even they will eventually become i'm
perceptible.
From the first moment of her long
martyrdOm the girl has not faltered for
an instant, but has been even impatient
for the next step. Sometimes the doc
tor would try to induce her to forego
for time the operation. but she per-
sisted in her desire. A singular feature
of the case is that in spite of the suf-
fcring she must have endured she has
grown very fat She has been con-
stantly the recipient of flowers. wines.
and dclicacies of various kinds, from
people who, though strangers to her.
have become interested in her singular
and remarkable patience.
The gratitude she evinces toward the
doctor is immeasurablc. 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.
A report of the case printed in tho
Herald three months ago has been cop
led all over the United States and Eu-
rope, and innumerable communications
as to :ne condition of Bertha have been
received from persons whose interest