Integrative Medicine and Plastic Surgery: A Synergy—Not an Antonym
Ioannis-Fivos Megas,
Dascha Sophie Tolzmann,
Jacqueline Bastiaanse,
Paul Christian Fuchs,
Bong-Sung Kim,
Matthias Kröz,
Friedemann Schad,
Harald Matthes,
Gerrit Grieb
Affiliations
Ioannis-Fivos Megas
Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
Dascha Sophie Tolzmann
Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
Jacqueline Bastiaanse
Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
Paul Christian Fuchs
Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, University of Witten/Herdecke, Kliniken der Stadt Köln, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, 51109 Köln, Germany
Bong-Sung Kim
Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
Matthias Kröz
Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58448 Witten, Germany
Friedemann Schad
Research Institute Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
Harald Matthes
Research Institute Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
Gerrit Grieb
Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
Background: Integrative medicine focuses on the human being as a whole—on the body, mind, and spirit—to achieve optimal health and healing. As a synthesis of conventional and complementary treatment options, integrative medicine combines the pathological with the salutogenetic approach of therapy. The aim is to create a holistic system of medicine for the individual. So far, little is known about its role in plastic surgery. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that integrative medicine based on a conventional therapy with additional anthroposophic therapies is very potent and beneficial for plastic surgery patients. Evaluation and consequence of the hypothesis: Additional anthroposophic pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are promising for all areas of plastic surgery. We are convinced that our specific approach will induce further clinical trials to underline its therapeutic potential.
