Avelar

	Juarez Avelar - the outstanding Plastic Surgeon of Sao Paulo By kidnapper amputated ears - reconstructed

		For a long time reconstruction of the auricle was considered impossible - as opposed to reconstruction of other organs like, for example, breast or nose. Nose reconstruction was the first plastic surgery in history. 600 years BC Sushruta describes in the book "Sushruta samita" the reconstruction of a nose in Ancient India. At that time thieves, wartime enemies and adulterers were punished by lopping off their noses. Sushruta and other members of the Kooma caste reconstructed the noses with a shafted frontal flap. This kind of operation is conducted once in a while even today. It is known as the "Indian Method", as opposed to the "Italian Method" of nose reconstruction with use of upper arm skin.
	The anatomy of the auricle consists mainly of cartilage and skin. This fact made an aesthetically satisfying reconstruction of the auricle impossible for a long time. Pioneer work by the American plastic surgeon Radford Tanzer was taken up in the seventies by the young, curious and talented Juarez Avelar from Brasil. In filigree work he produced the auricle's cartilage from the body's own ribs and covered it with local skin-muscle flaps. A highly creative piece of work.

	In 1997, he publishes his outstanding results of 300 ear reconstructions and the operation methodology in a unique book called "The creation of the auricle". As a result of social tensions between the rich and the poor, Sao Paulo saw the developments of an incredible criminal activity. The gangs of poor ‚Favelas' kidnap rich people or their relatives. In order to receive ransom money they send the cut-off ears of their victims by mail. In 1999, there were 13 cases of kidnapping, in 2000 already 39 and in 2001 no less than 251: Dr. Juarez Avelar is busy. Luckily he knows very well how to reconstruct ears. On February 13, 2002, the "The New York Times" publishes an interview with him under the title: "Sao Paulo becomes the kidnapping capital of Brazil" Avelar was one of the most talented students of Ivo Pitanguy - the Brazilian ‚guru' in plastic surgery - and is now president of an association of Pitanguy's former students. He was twice (1986-87 and 1990-91) president of the Brazilian Society for Plastic Surgery which, with its 3800 members, is one of the largest in the world. On each of the 16 world congresses held by the ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), he participated with his own contributions and carries the title ‚Postgraduate Professor of ISAPS'. In all areas of aesthetic plastic surgery, Avelar is creatively active. He has published numerous contributions in scientific journals introducing inventive methods, several surgical instruments are traces of his developments which he owns the patent for. In addition to the book that was mentioned above, he has publish 11 textbooks which makes him the most fecund author among all plastic surgeons. Any plastic surgeon is welcome to watch Avelar's surgical skills after arranging an appointment with him. His technique is precise, determined, concentrated and easy-does-it. He does not hurry, yet operation times are short. There are no superfluous movements. The author of these lines left a note in his operating room: "Silence please, You are now in the presence of a genius at work!" Juarez Avelar has traveled to many countries as a "Teaching Globetrotter". Once he was in Germany: In April 2002, together with ten other luminaries from the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland and Belgium, he participated in, and contributed to the IV. Bonn Symposium titled "Face Lift Giants". In September 2003 he will return to Germany, to Bonn. As part of his II. Symposium on abdominal wall stretching, he will join various cities of the world - this time he will visit us per satellite-live-transmission.