Reverdin's cleft palate needle, nickel plated and in a cardboard box fitted with wooden supports, by Morta?, France, mid 20th century, formerly the property of Thomas Kilner.
This needle was given to Thomas Kilner by Ralph Millard (b.1919), an American plastic surgeon who trained with Harold Gillies and co-wrote 'The Principles and Art of Plastic Surgery' with him. Millard developed several techniques to improve the repair of cleft lip and palate, most notably the rotation advancement procedure for cleft lip, also known as the Millard Repair. This technique involves creating a Z shaped scar which gives a softer, more natural looking lip.
