From October 1 to 3, 2015, the annual congress of the German Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRAEC) took place in Berlin under the motto: „Tradition and Innovation“.
Interesting papers were presented on, among other things, breast reconstruction, implant safety, treatment of chronic lymphedema, eyelid surgery, skin tumor surgery, and the latest findings on fat transplantation and body contouring after weight loss.
Keynote lectures on the topic „Tradition and Evidence in Plastic Surgery“ highlighted the historical development of our specialty. In many areas of surgery, „plastic surgeons“ of the „traditional school“ have driven innovations that have had a significant impact, particularly in the fields of wound healing, tissue perfusion, and regeneration.
The Berlin surgeon Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach, one of the early co-founders of plastic surgery and director of the Charité in Berlin, described possibilities for nasal reconstruction and the surgical treatment of congenital malformations such as cleft lips, among others, in his monumental 1845 work: „Die operative Chirurgie“.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to plastic surgery, the so-called „Dieffenbach Medal“ is awarded each year to the plastic surgeon who has rendered exceptional services to our field.
At this year's annual congress, the „Dieffenbach Medal“ was awarded to our highly esteemed former chief, PD Dr. med. Klaus Exner, who has participated in humanitarian aid missions in third-world countries for over 30 years, voluntarily operating on people disfigured by illness, many of them children. Many of these missions are listed and can be read about on our charity page. We congratulate him on this wonderful honor and are very proud that he taught us Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery as a successful combination of „tradition and innovation“ in its broad surgical diversity.