Kazanjian, Varaztad Hovhannes

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Kazanjian, Varaztad Hovhannes

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Kazanjian, Varaztad Hovhannes

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Varaztad Hovhannes Kazanjian (1879-1974) was an internationally known pioneer in plastic surgery, specializing in the treatment of numerous congenital and acquired facial deformities. His innovative surgical procedures were recorded in more than one hundred and fifty journal articles. With John Marquis Converse, he authored the classic plastic surgery textbook, The Surgical Treatment of Facial Injuries .

Dr. Kazanjian came to the United States in 1895 from Turkish Armenia at the age of sixteen. During most of the next seven years, he worked in a wire mill in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the same time attending Worcester night schools and taking correspondence courses to supplement his early education in missionary schools in Armenia. He became an American citizen in 1900 and that year decided to study dentistry.

Two years later, he was admitted to Harvard Dental School where he first became interested in the treatment of fractured jaws. At that time such cases, as well as many post-operative and congenital deformities, were treated at the Dental School clinic. Upon graduation in 1905, Dr. Kazanjian opened a dental practice and also began his long teaching association with Harvard as an Assistant in Prosthetic Dentistry. In 1912, Dr. Kazanjian became head of that department. His interest in facial injuries increased during his pre-war practice, as he treated hundreds of fractured jaws and developed a specialized knowledge of the construction of unusual appliances.

World War I provided the opportunity for Dr. Kazanjian to use his remarkable ingenuity, talent, and surgical skills. In 1915, he went overseas with the First Harvard Unit to serve with the British Expeditionary Forces. As the unit's Chief Dental Officer, Dr. Kazanjian established the first dental and maxillofacial clinic in France, handling over three thousand cases of gunshot, shrapnel, and other severe wounds of the face and jaws during the war years. In 1919, in recognition of his service, he was invested as a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

Dr. Kazanjian returned to Harvard Dental School as Professor of Military Oral Surgery in 1919 and at the same time enrolled as a student at Harvard Medical School. He received his M.D. in 1921.

In the years that followed, Dr. Kazanjian maintained an active surgical practice, treating patients from all over the world. He was head of the combined Plastic Surgery Clinic of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital and also served on the staffs of other major Boston and suburban hospitals, including Mt. Auburn Hospital, New England Deaconess Hospital, Beth Israel Hospital, and Boston City Hospital. He was Professor of Clinical Oral Surgery at Harvard from 1922 to 1941, when he was named Harvard's first Professor of Plastic Surgery.

As a prominent figure in plastic surgery for over sixty years, Dr. Kazanjian was the recipient of many national and international honors. Among them were the Special Honorary Citation of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1951; an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Bowdoin College in 1952; the Honor Key Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology in 1953; honorary membership in the Chalmers J. Lyons Academy of Oral Surgery at the University of Michigan and the Society Award of the American Society of Oral Surgeons in 1954; the Special Honorary Award of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons in 1956; the Award of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons in 1959; a New York University Presidential Citation in 1962; and the V.H. Kazanjian Visiting Professorship in Plastic Surgery at New York University Medical Center's Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in 1962.

Dr. Kazanjian became an Honorary Fellow of the British Association of Plastic Surgeons in 1966 and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1967. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, and the American College of Dentists, and a Diplomat and member of the Founders Group of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Kazanjian also served as President of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgery, and the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Despite his many accomplishments and numerous honors, Dr. Kazanjian remained a humble man. Dr. John Marquis Converse described his teacher and friend in the third edition of their textbook:

"A man of great determination, though soft spoken with kindly eyes, one felt in his presence a vitality and keenness of perception. Imaginative and resourceful, he taught to improvise new methods rather than follow the conventional. “Do it just right,” he would say, meaning in his laconic way (he preferred action to talk) that each patient's problem required an individual solution. Never did I hear him denigrate a colleague's work. His kindness, warmth, and modesty are legendary."

1879 Born 18 March in Erzingan, Turkish Armenia, to Hovhannes and Anna (Siroonian) Kazanjian 1879 Attended French Jesuit missionary school in Sivas 1893 Moved to Samsun to live with and work for older half-brother; later worked in a post office in Samsun 1895 Emigrated to United States, entering through Ellis Island in October. Lived in Armenian community in Worcester, Massachusetts, took correspondence courses, attended Worcester Evening High School 1900 Became U. S. citizen on 15 October 1902 Attended Boston English High School 1902 Admitted to Harvard Dental School, Class of 1905 1905 Awarded D.M.D. from Harvard Dental School on 28 June 1905 Established private dental practice in Boston 1906 Appointed Assistant in Mechanical Dentistry at Harvard Dental School 1907 Appointed Assistant in Prosthetic Dentistry Harvard Dental School 1909 Appointed Demonstrator of Prosthetic Dentistry, Harvard Dental School 1911 Entered second year class (admitted with advanced standing) at Boston University Medical School 1912 Appointed Head of the Prosthetic Dentistry Department, Harvard Dental School. Left Boston University Medical School 1912 Married Sophie Augusta Cuendet in Boston on 21 December (she died in Boston, 10 August 1919) 1913 Appointed Head of the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Harvard Dental School 1915 Appointed Chief Dental, Harvard Medical Unit, British Expeditionary Force, with rank of Honorary Lieutenant. Served in Camiers, France, at General Hospitals No. 20 and No. 22 1916 Promoted Honorary Major, Land Forces, Royal Army Medical Corps 1918 Appointed Companion of Saint Michael and Saint George, 3 June 1918 Appointed Professor of Military Oral Surgery, Harvard Dental School 1919 Discharged from Royal Army 1919 Invested as Companion of Saint Michael and Saint George by King George V at Buckingham Palace in May 1919 Returned to United States in May and admitted as third year student to Harvard Medical School, Class of 1921 1919 Rejoined faculty at Harvard Dental School as Professor of Military Oral Surgery 1921 Received M.D. degree. Established private practice in Boston in plastic surgery of face, surgical prosthesis, and oral surgery 1922 Appointed Professor of Clinical Oral Surgery at Harvard 1923 Married Marion Victorine Hanford in New York City on 25 August 1931 Named Surgeon for Plastic Operations at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Special Consultant in Plastic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. (First appointment to M.E.E.I. staff in 1923 and to M.G.H. staff in 1921) 1932 Received Award from Rhode Island State Dental Society 1937 President of American Academy of Dental Science 1940 Served as President of American Association of Plastic Surgeons 1941 Appointed Professor of Plastic Surgery, Harvard Medical School (appointment created for Kazanjian) 1943 Received Alfred E. Fones Medal, Connecticut State Dental Society 1947 Appointed Professor Emeritus of Plastic Surgery, Harvard Medical School 1947 Appointed Guest Lecturer in Oral Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania 1949 Publication of first edition of The Surgical Treatment of Facial Injuries, co-authored with Dr. John Marquis Converse. 1951 Received Special Honorary Citation of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons for his leadership in the organization and development of the specialty of plastic surgery 1951 Appointed Visiting Lecturer in Oral Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania 1952 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Science by Bowdoin College 1953 Awarded Honor Key Award of the Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology 1954 Received Society Award of American Society of Oral Surgeons 1954 Awarded Honorary Membership, Chalmers J. Lyons Academy of Oral Surgery, University of Michigan 1956 Received Honorary Award from American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons 1956 Awarded Leonard Wood Memorial Medal, Boston City Hospital Alumni Association 1956 Made Honorary Member, Massachusetts Dental Society 1957 Became Honorary Member and received Award from New England Society of Oral Surgeons 1957 Awarded Honorary Membership, Worcester Dental Society 1958 Dr. Aram Roopenian joined the practice of Kazanjian. 1959 Award from American Association of Plastic Surgeons 1959 Publication of Second Edition of The Surgical Treatment of Facial Injuries, co-authored with Dr. John Marquis Converse 1960 Served as first President of New England Society of Plastic Surgeons 1962 Awarded New York University Presidential Citation 1962 V.H. Kazanjian Visiting Professorship in Plastic Surgery established at New York University Medical Center, Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, by friends and former patients 1964 Retired from private practice 1966 Became Honorary Fellow of British Association of Plastic Surgeons in London 1967 Became Honorary Fellow of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow 1967 Honored with Harvard Dental Centennial Award 1972 Received Award of Neal Owens Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1974 Died 19 October at his home in Belmont, Massachusetts. Survived by his wife, Marion H. Kazanjian (d. 1980), and three children, Hélene K. Sargeant, Dr. Joan K. Leavitt, Victor H. Kazanjian (d. 1985), and five grandchildren. From the guide to the Papers, 1900-1979, 1984., (Center for the History of Medicine. Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine.)

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