Week 4: MedTech and Art

 This week in lecture we looked into medical technologies and how they embody art in many ways. We discussed types of technology used in the medical field, anywhere from MRIs to plastic surgeries and implants. After watching all four parts of the lecture and doing some reading of my own, I found that the plastic surgery and body reconstructive aspects to medical technology were the most interesting to me

Internet Scientific Publications      

Like several things we have learned about in this class, plastic surgery started in the east long before many could even imagine. About 4000 years ago, ancient Indians were practicing the first forms of plastic surgery through skin grafts and other early procedures. These practices provided influence to those of the west, allowing them to further develop on its ideas. Unsurprisingly, plastic surgery boomed during the World Wars, as weaponry was getting stronger, and injured people were in need of reconstructive help. 

The birth of plastic surgery | National Army Museum

As seen in the photos above, many men who fought in the World Wars were greatly injured, and many needing facial reconstruction of sometime. The most common way this was gone about was through skin grafting. This is a process in which health skin found near the affected area or wound, used to cover the injury and help the new skin grow and morph to the body on top of it. Harold Gillies is one of the most famous plastic surgeons of that time, helping hundreds of wounded men receive treatments from wartime injuries. This form of plastic and reconstructive surgery was used mainly to was the pain and lessen suffering for affected people. 

Plastic Surgery: The Latest Trends

In modern times, we still do practice reconstructive surgeries to help injured people from accident or what not, however the idea behind beauty enhancing plastic surgery has become very popular. Many celebrities and other people have procedures done to help them look younger, or enhance their features. These are just a few examples of how medical technology has changed over time, and even taken on forms relating to art.

Citations

“The Birth of Plastic Surgery.” National Army Museum, www.nam.ac.uk/explore/birth-plastic-surgery. 

Justin P Fox, USAF, MC, Nickolay P Markov, USAF, MC, Alexandra M Markov, BS, Eamon O’Reilly, USN, MC, Kerry P Latham, USAF, MC, FS, Plastic Surgery at War: A Scoping Review of Current Conflicts, Military Medicine, Volume 186, Issue 3-4, March-April 2021, Pages e327–e335, https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usaa361

Kita, Natalie. “History of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.” Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 16 May 2020, www.verywellhealth.com/the-history-of-plastic-surgery-2710193#:~:text=Plastic%20Surgery%20Began%20With%20Skin,advances%20were%20slow%20in%20coming. 

SC;, Champaneria MC;Workman AD;Gupta. “Sushruta: Father of Plastic Surgery.” Annals of Plastic Surgery, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23788147/. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Human Body and Medical Technologies .” Part 3. DESMA 9 LECTURE, 25 Apr. 2023, UCLA, UCLA. 


Photo Citations

Holland, Kimberly. “Plastic Surgery: The Latest Trends.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 31 Mar. 2017, www.healthline.com/health-news/latest-trends-in-plastic-surgery. 

Saraf, Sanjay, and Ravi S. Parihar. “Sushruta: The First Plastic Surgeon in 600 B.C.” The Internet Journal of Plastic Surgery, Internet Scientific Publications, 31 Dec. 2006, ispub.com/IJPS/4/2/8232. 

“The Birth of Plastic Surgery.” National Army Museum, www.nam.ac.uk/explore/birth-plastic-surgery. 


Comments

Priyasha said…
Hey Tessia! I found your blog very informative and entertaining to read as I was also especially interested in the plastic surgery and body reconstructive aspects of medical technology! My blog also talked about plastic surgery, but I like how you went more in depth about the history and expanded out of the more current reason as to why plastic surgery is practiced. Even after listening to the lectures, skin grafting was a new concept introduced to me after reading your blog! I wonder what particular doctor or scientist thought of using healthy skin to cover the injured wound, and how people during that time reacted to their practice! Good job on your blog :)
April 30, 2023 at 11:01 PM
Nicholas Rubin said…
I found your focus on plastic surgery to be very interesting. I hadn't really considered this in my work this week but plastic surgery is one of the most direct intersections between medicine, science, and art. I enjoyed your discussion of skin grafting and reconstructive procedures due to wartime injuries and overall found your blog to be informative even after going through this week's material. Great job!
May 1, 2023 at 3:30 PM
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