Taylor Lab ~ Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Research
Patron: Professor G Ian Taylor AO
Principal Investigators: Assoc Professor Mark Ashton
Mr Russell Corlett
Dr Wei-Ren Pan
Introduction
Translational research has always been an integral part of the Jack Brockhoff Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Research Unit. From its embryonic origins within the basement of The Royal Melbourne Hospital the Research Unit has always focused on solving the clinical problems confronting clinicians in the actual treatment of patients. Indeed, the world's very first free flap was researched and developed by our unit to solve the particularly difficult problem of a patient presenting with a compound septic ground out medial ankle injury. Without well vascularised soft tissue cover the patient was to have a below knee amputation. Finding a solution required us to return to the Anatomy Laboratory to establish a suitable soft tissue donor site and then the final development of the world’s first free flap.
Our research has steadily progressed through the issues confronting current medical science. For the last two years this has seen the development and expansion of the investigation of the lymphatics and in particular the need to study the variability in sentinel node biopsies in melanoma and the onset and development of lymphoedema following mastectomy for breast cancer or the aetiology behind the ways in which sarcomas and cancers spread.
We enjoy close collaboration with our partners at The University of Melbourne, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and The Departments of Radiology and Surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
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All of anatomical studies of the neurovascular and lymphatic systems of the human body are focused on restoring not only shape and form but feeling to skin transplants and function to transferred muscles.
The research is not static – as each new clinical case presents the surgery is “custom designed” to match the individual patients reconstructive needs. With each case, we research the optimal reconstructive option.
Radiograph of skin with vessels injected with lead oxide (black) and nerves (green) with donor flaps indicated for microvascular transplantation (blue)