Sir Archibald Hector McIndoe (1900–1960)

Abstract

It frequently surprises me when the subject of plastic surgery is brought up that even though McIndoe died 55 years ago, the name of Archie McIndoe is nearly always mentioned. Many people seem to be living with the misconception that he was the founder of modern plastic or cosmetic surgery, if not in Britain then in the world! There is no doubt that he was a very successful and talented plastic surgeon with a forceful yet charming personality, but he was not the founder of the specialty. In fact in 1919, when McIndoe had just begun to study medicine in New Zealand, Harold Gillies had asked Thomas Kilner to join him as a partner in his plastic surgery practice in London. As explained elsewhere, it was unquestionably Gillies to whom the title of ‘founder’ belonged in Britain. During the First World War when McIndoe was still at school, Gillies became fascinated with the work of the Frenchman Morestin and decided to take up reconstructive surgery both during and after the war.