Albucasis: A Pioneer Plastic Surgeon.

Abstract

The middle ages in the Arab world etched medical advancements that laid the foundations of modern medical practice. Among the several renowned physicians of historical importance, Abu Alkasem al-Zahrawi (Albucasis) left his mark in the fields of medicine and surgery. He is notably famous for his 30-volume compendium Kitab-al Tasreef, which served as his magnum opus. The last volume of this work was reserved for surgery. During his lifetime, Albucasis made contributions of unparalleled luminosity to the field of surgery. He described surgical techniques for a range of procedures encompassing several subspecialties that comprise modern plastic surgery. Beyond just a physician and surgeon, Albucasis was a remarkable teacher who taught medical students with fervor and emphasized the importance of affording treatment to patients of all social classes and the value of physician-patient relationships. The focus of this review is to explore the contributions of Albucasis to the field of plastic surgery.