Digital surgery revisited. On the origin of digital transfer in reconstructive surgery

A scarred donor site has been of secondary concern in reconstructive surgery, being the price one had to pay for the repair of a defect. In the 19th century reconstruction at the sacrifice of a little finger was contemplated and applied to difficult nasal repairs. The loss of a finger was sometimes preferred thus avoiding additional scars on the forehead and cheek. This so called ‘Russian method’ is of British origin, described in 1875 by James Hardie of Manchester.