From the Battlefield to the Operating Theater

Pravin K. Patel. MD FACS

Behind every breakthrough in plastic surgery lies a story. This lecture brings to life the extraordinary cast of characters who turned the chaos of war into the dawn of modern reconstructive plastic surgery. Set against the backdrop of the Great Wars, the "theater" took on many meanings: a battlefield of destruction, an operating theater of innovation, and a dramatic stage where courage, compassion, and creativity played leading roles. From visionary surgeons to the wounded soldiers who became both patients and pioneers, we explore how these real-life actors transformed suffering into science, and laid the foundation for a field that continues to restore form, function—and humanity.

Pravin K. Patel. MD FACS is the Mimis N. Cohen Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery, and Director of the Craniofacial Center at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Trained in physics, engineering, and medicine, he brings a unique perspective to the art and science of reconstructive surgery of the face. A lifelong lover of history, Dr. Patel is especially drawn to the story of how modern plastic surgery was born from the devastation of the Great Wars. His talk, From the Battlefield to the Operating Theater, gives voice to the exhibit The Artistry of Plastic Surgery—tracing how courage, compassion, and creativity transformed wartime suffering into a legacy of restoring both form and humanity.

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