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Cheever's double operation: the first Le Fort I osteotomy.

Eric G Halvorson¹, John B Mulliken

¹Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Boston, Mass. From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of North Carolina, and the Division of Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

|March 20, 2008

Summary

David Williams Cheever pioneered a "double operation" for nasopharyngeal polyps in 1868, predating Le Fort I osteotomy descriptions. This early craniofacial surgery technique highlights Cheever

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Area of Science:

Surgical History
Craniofacial Surgery
Medical Innovation

Background:

David Williams Cheever performed a novel bilateral osteotomy in 1868 to remove a nasopharyngeal polyp.
This procedure, termed Cheever's "double operation," predates Le Fort's work on facial fracture lines by 31 years.
Previous treatments for similar polyps involved hemimaxillary osteotomy by European surgeons.

Discussion:

Cheever's technique represents the earliest documented osteotomy for nasopharyngeal polyp removal.
The historical context reveals a divergence in surgical approaches between American and European surgeons.
Cheever's prominence in Boston's surgical and academic circles underscores his significant, yet under-recognized, contributions.

Key Insights:

Cheever's "double operation" is the earliest known description of the procedure now recognized as Le Fort I osteotomy.

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The study highlights a forgotten pioneer in American craniofacial surgery.

Cheever's surgical innovation occurred within the developing landscape of 19th-century American medicine.

Outlook:

Further research into Cheever's surgical methods and their influence is warranted.
Re-evaluating the historical narrative of craniofacial surgery can uncover previously overlooked contributions.
Understanding the context of Cheever's "double operation" enriches the history of surgical advancements.