170. WAS DROBNIK THE FIRST TO OPERATE ON THE FACIAL NERVE?

Van De Graaf Rc (1), Nicolai Jpa (1), Devriese Pp (2)  (1) Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Groningen, (2) Ent, Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam

Thomasz Drobnik became famous since one of his colleagues in Poland, Bronislas Sawicki, wrote about him in 1903. In only five sentences Drobnik’s effort to repair the facial nerve was described. The original report of this operation has unfortunately never been found. As it is considered to be the first documented facial nerve repair in history, it is interesting to explore Drobnik’s background and the veracity of this claim.

Two sources were studied.

1.         “L’état actuel de la chirurgie nerveuse” by Chipault (1903) deals with the state-of-the-art of neurosurgery in 36 countries in the  period of approximately 20 years before 1903. Sawicki describes many “Neurosurgical Observations” by Polish doctors. Most Observations are in chronological order.

2.         Biographical articles on Thomas Drobnik were obtained from professor Leon Drobnik from Poznan, Poland. The Polish texts were translated.

Results:

1.         On page 187, Sawicki writes that Dr. T. Drobnik lived in Poznan, Poland. Drobnik’s famous operation is the Xth Observation in the third part of chapter XIV on page 189. It is dated in 1879. However, Observation I is dated 1890, II 1892, III 1894, IV undated, V 1896, VI undated, VII-VIII 1898, IX undated, X 1879, XI-XIV 1900, and XV 1901.

2.         Drobnik was born in 1858 in Poland. In 1880 he started medical school. In 1885 he obtained his medical diploma, and in 1890 he was appointed head of surgery in St Josef’s children’s hospital in Poznan. He became famous and was loved and admired by his compatriots. He suddenly died at the age of 43 in 1901 and all of Poland mourned his death.

Conclusion

1.         In 1879 Drobnik was only 21 years old.

2.         Drobnik started studying medicine in 1880.

3.         Observation X is not in chronological order and obviously a printing error.

Therefore, Thomas Drobnik was not the first to operate on the facial nerve. Instead, it was sir Charles Ballance from England in 1895 in London.