In a world where major medical breakthroughs often carry a European, American, or Asian accent, a groundbreaking reconstructive surgery technique with a Latin American signature has just made history. The protagonist of this achievement is Dr. Víctor Hugo Villacis Basante—a plastic surgeon, professor, researcher, and cultural heritage advocate—born and trained in Colombia, now internationally recognized for developing a unique surgical procedure to treat thumb amputations.

From his office at the Hospital Universitario Departamental de Nariño, in the southern Colombian city of Pasto, Dr. Villacis achieved what few have: winning first place at the 53rd International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in Mexico, thanks to an original, functional, and globally accepted surgical technique.

“For four years, we’ve worked with discipline and scientific rigor on this clinical protocol. Previously, these cases ended in full amputations. Now, we can preserve the thumb and its function,” explains Villacis, whose technique has already been successfully applied to multiple patients.

A Career Forged Through Excellence

Dr. Villacis began his medical journey at 17, entering medical school at the University of Caldas, where he excelled as a teaching assistant in anatomy, embryology, and immunology. He later specialized in general surgery at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and in reconstructive plastic surgery at the Autonomous University of Mexico, where he also earned a diploma in university teaching.

His training includes four international specialties, including accreditation from the Mexican Council of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, giving him a high-level technical and interdisciplinary perspective. He is also a member of the Colombian Association of Hand Surgery and a global reference in microsurgery, performing procedures requiring reconnection of blood vessels smaller than 0.5 mm—such as digital reimplants in rural patients—with a 90% success rate.

One of his most notable cases involved a farmer whose fingers were reimplanted after an accident with agricultural machinery—an advanced procedure performed under conditions far from those of the world’s top medical centers, but executed with the same precision and humanity.

Science with a Human and Cultural Sense

In addition to his surgical work, Dr. Villacis has spent 17 years teaching medicine with a deeply humanistic approach. “This technique isn’t just a scientific advance—it’s a chance to restore function, dignity, and self-esteem. Humanizing medicine means seeing beyond the wound,” he affirms.

His holistic vision extends beyond the operating room. He’s also a science and culture writer and an active promoter of the heritage of Pasto and southern Colombia. He founded a virtual museum for Pasto lacquerware, with over 1,500 pieces—including one over 400 years old—and pursued museology studies at La Salle University in Peru. He delivers lectures on history, identity, and medicine, convinced that science and culture must coexist.

“Science is not foreign to our land or our history. From this region, we can create, research, and transform the medical world. This award proves it,” he says proudly.

A Pioneer in Aesthetic Surgery Too

A Career Forged Through Excellence

Dr. Villacis began his medical journey at 17, entering medical school at the University of Caldas, where he excelled as a teaching assistant in anatomy, embryology, and immunology. He later specialized in general surgery at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and in reconstructive plastic surgery at the Autonomous University of Mexico, where he also earned a diploma in university teaching.

His training includes four international specialties, including accreditation from the Mexican Council of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, giving him a high-level technical and interdisciplinary perspective. He is also a member of the Colombian Association of Hand Surgery and a global reference in microsurgery, performing procedures requiring reconnection of blood vessels smaller than 0.5 mm—such as digital reimplants in rural patients—with a 90% success rate.

One of his most notable cases involved a farmer whose fingers were reimplanted after an accident with agricultural machinery—an advanced procedure performed under conditions far from those of the world’s top medical centers, but executed with the same precision and humanity.

Science with a Human and Cultural Sense

In addition to his surgical work, Dr. Villacis has spent 17 years teaching medicine with a deeply humanistic approach. “This technique isn’t just a scientific advance—it’s a chance to restore function, dignity, and self-esteem. Humanizing medicine means seeing beyond the wound,” he affirms.

His holistic vision extends beyond the operating room. He’s also a science and culture writer and an active promoter of the heritage of Pasto and southern Colombia. He founded a virtual museum for Pasto lacquerware, with over 1,500 pieces—including one over 400 years old—and pursued museology studies at La Salle University in Peru. He delivers lectures on history, identity, and medicine, convinced that science and culture must coexist.

“Science is not foreign to our land or our history. From this region, we can create, research, and transform the medical world. This award proves it,” he says proudly.

A Pioneer in Aesthetic Surgery Too

His technique consists of a surgical flap designed for patients with partial thumb amputations. It avoids complete amputation, preserves part of the digit, and—most importantly—restores functionality, significantly improving quality of life. Named after him, this procedure is the first of its kind developed by a Latin American surgeon to receive international scientific acceptance, symbolizing medical progress in the region.

Dr. Villacis’s story is not just that of a brilliant doctor. It’s a tale of how talent, perseverance, and love for one’s roots can generate global impact. His technique doesn’t just rebuild fingers—it restores hope, identity, and puts Colombia on the map of medical innovation.

In a world where access to quality science remains unequal, Dr. Villacis reminds us that true progress begins at home—with vocation, vision, and will.

With his scalpel, his vision, and his deep love for his community, Dr. Víctor Villacis has not only rebuilt fingers and hands—he’s rebuilt his patients’ self-worth and his region’s pride, earning a place in the history of global reconstructive surgery.