Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Johannes F.S. Esser’s lasting inspirations: “To help repair and undo a little part of the cruel mangling”

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract   

J.F.S. Esser’s “island flap” provided the innovative bridge between the ancient Indian, French, and Italian flaps and modern axial flaps, revolutionizing the scientific principles of reconstructive surgery. Esser performed more than ten thousand complex reconstructions and was recognized as the premier reconstructive surgeon of his time. In recognition of Esser’s extraordinary care of injuries during World War I, plastic surgery was designated as an “autonomous surgical specialty” for the first time. After the war, the press venerated him, as the “Apostle of Plastic Surgery,” for his benevolent care for victims of the Great War. Privately, Esser was an international chess master, a prolific art collector, and an innovative businessman, becoming wealthy through real estate and art. The Second World War, however, deprived Esser of his family, friends, personal fortune, and his dream of an international Institute of Structive Surgery. He died in obscurity and poverty in Chicago in 1946. For the next thirty years following his death, Esser’s island flap reconstructions were mostly forgotten, while plastic surgery pursued random pattern flaps.

Level of evidence: Not gradable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Esser JFS, Meulen JCHM (2003) Artery flaps. Erasmus Publishing

  2. Haeseker B (1983) Dr. JFS Esser and his influence on the development of plastic and reconstructive surgery

  3. Haeseker B (1986) Johannes Fredericus Samuel Esser: innovative “structive” surgeon (1877–1946). Plast Reconstr Surg 77:146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hilbert JM, Hoenig JF (2009) The plastic surgeon Johannes Fredericus Samuel Esser (1877 to 1946), MD, DMD and his unknown period during 1917 and 1925 in Berlin. Germany Eur J Plast Surg 32:127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Esser J (1917) Island flaps. N Y Med J 106:264–265

    Google Scholar 

  6. McGregor IA, Morgan G (1973) Axial and random pattern flaps. Br J Plast Surg 26:202–213

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Esser J (1931) Biological or arterial flaps of the face (English language ed.). Roy Soc Med Lond

  8. Esser J (1918) Verschliessung von Larynx-und Trachealfisteln oder Defekten mittels plastischer Operation. Arch Klin Chir 109:385

    Google Scholar 

  9. Esser JF (1918) Gestielte lokale Nasenplastik mit zweizipfligem Lappen, Deckung des sekundären Defektes vom ersten Zipfel durch den zweiten. Langenbecks Arch Surg 143:385–390

    Google Scholar 

  10. Esser J (1937) Multiple stage operation for Difficult saddle nose. Surg Gynec 64

  11. Esser, J.F.S. (1920) Nasenbildung aus der Oberlippe. Nasenbildung Aus Oberlippe 1412–1414

  12. Esser JF (1921) Nasenplastik ohne Hautschnitt. Langenbecks Arch Surg 164:211–217

    Google Scholar 

  13. Esser J (1938) Biological frontal flaps in ophthalmology. Am J Ophthalmol 21:963–967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Esser J (1936) Epithelial inlay in cases of refractory ectropion. Arch Ophthalmol 16:55–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Esser JF (1934) Preservation of innervation and circulation supply in plastic restoration of upper lip. Ann Surg 99:101–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Esser J (1916) Mund-Lippenplastik aus der Nasolabialgegend. Bruns’ Beitr Klin Chir 105:545

    Google Scholar 

  17. Penhale K, Esser J (1942) Use of biologic flaps and the Esser inlay to form a chin and lip. J Am Dent Assoc 29:1417–1420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Esser JFS (1918) Die Rotation der Wange und allgemeine Bemerkungen bei chirurgischer Gesichtsplastik. Vogel

  19. Esser J (1938) Rotation of the cheek in ophthalmology. Arch Ophthalmol 20:410–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Esser J (1921) Totaler Ohrmuschelersatz. Münch Med Wschr 36:1150–1151

    Google Scholar 

  21. Esser J (1938) Correction of bird’s face. Am J Orthod Oral Surg 24:791–794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Esser D (1917) Healing of lower jaw bone defects. Am J Surg 31:305

    Google Scholar 

  23. Esser J (1917) So-called total esophagoplasty by Thiersch skin grafts, without employment of an intestinal loop. Dtsch Zeitsche F Chi Г 142:403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Esser JF (1918) Deckung von Harnblasendefekten. Langenbecks Arch Surg 147:126–127

    Google Scholar 

  25. Esser JFS, Bardelli L (1940) Esser inlay (epithelial inlay). Brill

  26. Esser J (1933) Biologischer Hautlappen für schwere Körpernarben. Zbl Chir 60:1639

    Google Scholar 

  27. Esser J (1939) Epithelial inlay for scars in the neck dragging the lower jaw downwards. Am J Surg 45:148–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Esser JFS (1919) Deckung von Amputationsstümpfen des Oberschenkels aus dem Arm bei beiderseitig Amputierten durch “Einnähung”. Verlag von Johann Ambrosius Barth in Leipzig.

  29. Esser JF (1937) Pedicle breast flap for amputation stump. Ann Surg 105:469–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Esser J (1917) Plastic surgery of muscles on amputation stumps for the control and fixation of a prosthesis. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 43:1472–1475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Esser JFS (1917) Gestielte Plastiken bei typischen Erfrierungen: und bei schlecht geheilten Amputationsstümpfen der unteren Extremitäten. Verlag der H. Laupp’schen Buchhandlung

  32. Baux GS, Fischer E, McCarthy JG (2004) Frank Hastings Hamilton: a pioneer American plastic surgeon. Plast Reconstr Surg 114:1240–1247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Esser JFS (1917) Operativer Ersatz der Mittelhand nebst 4 Fingern. Verlag der H. Laupp’schen Buchhandlung

  34. Esser J, Ranschburg P (1940) Reconstruction of a hand and four fingers by transplantation of the middle part of the foot and four toes. Ann Surg 111:655–659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Marck K (2016) Honderd jaar de bilobaire transpositielap: de eerste beschrijving en een wonderlijke conceptuele verschuiving. Ned Tijdschr Plast Chir 139–142

  36. Esser (1917) Lokale Knochenplastiken bei Unterkieferdefekten. Bruns Beitr Zur Klin Chir 555–563

  37. Esser J (1917) Studies in plastic surgery of the face: I. Use of skin from the neck to replace face defects. II. Plastic operations about the mouth. III. The epidermic inlay. Ann Surg 65:297

  38. Guthrie CC (1912) Blood vessel surgery and its applications. Arnold

  39. Jurkiewicz M (1965) Vascularized intestinal graft for reconstruction of the cervical esophagus and pharynx. Plast Reconstr Surg 36:509–517

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the Medical Historical Society of the Netherlands for their collaboration. The photographs herein are from J.F.S. Esser’s original publications and are not under copyright.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Klaas W. Marck

    Present address: , Leeuwarden, Friesland, The Netherlands

  2. Cynthia R. McCraw

    Present address: , Williamsburg, VA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, USA

    Oksana Babchenko

  2. OrthoArkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA

    David A. Black

  3. Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

    John B. McCraw

Authors
  1. Oksana Babchenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David A. Black
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Klaas W. Marck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cynthia R. McCraw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. John B. McCraw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oksana Babchenko.

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval

Not applicable. As this is a historical paper, no ethical approval was needed.

Consent to participate

Not applicable. As this is a historical paper, no informed consent was needed.

Conflict of interest

Oksana Babchenko, David A. Black, Klaas W. Marck, Cynthia R. McCraw, and John B. McCraw declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Babchenko, O., Black, D.A., Marck, K.W. et al. Johannes F.S. Esser’s lasting inspirations: “To help repair and undo a little part of the cruel mangling”. Eur J Plast Surg 45, 483–493 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-021-01897-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-021-01897-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation