History of nasal reconstruction. A brief survey.

Nasal reconstruction goes back to very early times; it was practised in ancient India about 1000 B.C. The first reports in the Western World come from the Branca family in Sicily (mid XV century) and from the Vianeo family in Calabria (mid XVI century): this art was later taken up by Tagliacozzi and published by him in 1597. A review of the literature reveals that the numerous procedures now available to repair the nose had already been devised by the middle of the nineteenth century in Germany and France as well as in England. Outstanding contributions were also made in Italy and the United States.