I am very proud that you are holding in your hands another issue of the 64th edition of our journal. I don’t know if academician František Burian imagined that the tradition of the journal would last to this day, but I believe that he would be satisfied that we continue in his work and proudly profess to his legacy. I am very pleased that the cooperation with the publishing house Care Comm s.r.o. has stabilized and the journal returned to releasing four individual issues a year. In addition, a new open journal system for submitting new articles has been launched recently. I believe that this fact will help speed up and clarify the review process of your articles. Another novelty will be a new website of our journal, with connection to social networks. The third novelty will be the publication of all previous issues of the journal on its website. Under the auspices of the Czech Society of Plastic Surgery, all issues and volumes of the journal Acta Chirurgiae Plasticae were digitalized. We therefore gained access to the articles written by our teachers and predecessors in the field of plastic, reconstructive, burn and maxillofacial surgery and hand surgery. It is a valuable source of information on the development of these fields in Central Europe.
In this way, we can perceive again the truth of the familiar quotation that we are standing on the shoulders of giants.
This issue contains seven various articles from plastic and reconstructive surgery and hand surgery, accentuating the issues of tissue transport, flap surgery and breast reconstruction. I believe that every reader will find information in some of the articles that will appeal and inspire him/her to improve the care of our patients in everyday practice.
It is sad that all these things are taking place in the background of a time when covid-19 madness was replaced by even worse war rage. The reality of war in Europe of 21st century remains incomprehensible to me. It is like a return to primitive methods of promoting political interests, a step back in the debate of modern society. It seems as if we had not learned from history that a war would not solve anything and would only bring suffering to both warring par- ties. A cohesive approach of the democratic world against Russian aggression and the financial and material support to the Ukrainian people is a certain consolation. I believe that this humanitarian catastrophe will come to an end as soon as possible and that the conflict will not spread to other European countries or even to the whole world. I still believe in the victory of common sense and humanity and in an early end of war suffering. Let us all consider whether and how each of us could contribute to ending the conflict and help the victims of the war.
I hope that the next issues of the journal will reach us in better times.
Thank you all for the support of our journal.
I wish you a pleasant reading.
Zdeněk Dvořák