Syringe plunger: An alternative sterile skin-marker in plastic surgery

摘要

Surgical planning is mandatory in plastic surgery. First, Tagliacozzi, in the 19th century used a thinplate of wax fitted on the stump of the nose, then flattened and laid out on the forehead; the drawingwas done around the wax. At that time Gentian violet was the only ink available; gentian violet is agreenish-bronze, odorless crystal that is poorly soluble in water but highly soluble in alcohol. It isavailable for medical use. Today it is the most used agent in trade for surgical marking pens.