Adrian Flatt Hand Implant Collection

17 July 2023 (Last updated: 21 Jul 2023 11:20) by Stephen Hodgson, BSSH Archivist

Donated to BSSH by Ian Trail, the implant collection paints a vivid history of the early development of hand implants. It was personally collated by Adrian Flatt (1921-2017) who had a long and major interest in the subject.

 

Implant developer with approximate year of introduction/publication:

1, 2, 3 – Flatt 1961

4 - Swanson 1978

5 - Calnan-Nicolle 1972

6,7-  Niebauer (Silicon-Dacron) 1969

8 – Schultz 1975

9 – St Georg Bucholz 1975

10, 11 Unknown (possible Mk2 St Georg?)

12, 13, 14 – Herple (Biomeric – Titanium)

15,16, 17 – Avanta (Silicon)

 

Adrian Flatt had strong connections with BSSH and the UK. Born in Frinton on Sea, Essex in 1921. he graduated in medicine from Cambridge University. His training included both plastic and orthopaedic surgery. He was a Fullbright Scholar, furthering his interest in hand surgery by visiting James Littler in New York. He returned to London as First Assistant in Orthopaedic Surgery to Watson Jones and was a founder member of the Second Hand Club, which became BSSH. His potential was spotted during his year in the USA and was invited to set up an academic hand surgery unit at the University of Iowa. Commencing as an Associate in Orthopaedic Surgery, he became Professor of Anatomy and developed a respected hand surgery fellowship programme.

Adrian had over 200 publications on hand surgery and wrote books including The Care of Monir Hand Injuries, The Care of the Rheumatoid Hand and the Care of Congenital Hand Anomalies that ran to multiple editions. He was Editor in Chief of the Journal of Hand Surgery – Am for ten years, President of ASSH 1975-76 and awarded IFSSH Pioneer in Hand Surgery status in 1992.

He never forgot his UK roots and was a frequent visitor to BSSH meetings and UK Hand units.

 

 

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