Reconstructive microsurgery: reviewing the past, anticipating the future

This article gives an overview of reconstructive microsurgery It is written for residents and fellows training in plastic and microsurgery and practitioners who are intimately involved in the clinical practice of complex reconstructions. The authors describe the highlights of the history of microsurgery and relevant clinical principles. The final portion of this article is designed to elucidate some of the tremendous advances in limb transplantation and the future directions of microsurgery.