Prof. Pavel Brychta, MD, CSc.

He was born on February 27, 1957 in Velké Meziříčí, where he graduated from high school in 1976. He studied at Faculty of Medicine, JEP University, Brno, and graduated in 1982.

He started his clinical practice in 1982 at Department of Plastic Surgery (Berkova 34) in Brno. Until 1984 he worked there as an internal aspirant.

In the years 1985–1986, he focused on general surgery and traumatology at Third Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of National Health, Brno, and at Traumatology Research Institute (Ponávka 6, Brno) as an internal resident. He obtained his first degree postgraduate certification in surgery in 1986. In 1987, he began working in burn medicine and plastic surgery as a junior doctor at Burn Unit of the Third Department of Surgery at Trauma Hospital, Ponávka 6, Brno. In the same year, he obtained the title of Candidate of Science (CSc.) for his thesis “The use of ultrasound Doppler velocimeter in plastic and reconstructive surgery”.

In 1989, the Burn Unit was moved to the newly completed University Hospital, Brno-Bohunice, and a separate Burn Center was established in Brno, which took over the comprehensive treatment of burned children. Dr. Brychta served as a deputy to Chief Physician Vladimír Michálek, MD. A stable team of Brno burn specialists was formed, consisting of plastic and general surgeons, a team of nurses, a pediatrician with a team of pediatric nurses, an anesthesiologist, physiotherapists, and a psychologist. Gradually, young doctors joined the team and began to devote themselves to the care of burn victims with great enthusiasm.

Dr. Brychta completed his postgraduate education in plastic surgery in Prague in 1991 with a follow-up certification. In 1993, he became head physician at Burn and Reconstructive Surgery Center, University Hospital Brno. In 1997, he was appointed Associate Professor of Surgery at Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, for his work “Experimental and clinical use of in vitro cultivated keratinocytes”. His professional interests was and still is focused on tissue reconstruction, following on the cultivation of skin cells for the treatment of burns in laboratory conditions (stem cells), as well as post-bariatric plastic surgery and laser esthetic surgery. He helped establish the Burn Medicine Laboratory at University Hospital Tissue Bank and, through the clinical application of the cultured grafts produced there, acquired one of the largest collections of such patients.

He attended several-month professional internships abroad (USA, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands) and lecture tours in the USA, Japan, Brazil, and Costa Rica. As a visiting professor, he operated and lectured from 2006 to 2017 at a private clinic in Haugesund (Norway).

The Burn Center at University Hospital Brno was gradually developed, and a new department was established in 2001. In the same year, Assoc. Prof. Brychta became the head of this newly established Department of Burn and Reconstructive Surgery at University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. In 2003, he was appointed professor of surgery (plastic surgery) at Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. He successfully completed his postgraduate certification in burn medicine in Prague in 2005.

He held the position of the Head of Burn and Plastic Surgery Department at University Hospital Brno until 2023, i.e. for 22 years. In all, he headed this workplace for 30 years.

He is engaged in teaching activities –⁠ undergraduate and postgraduate –⁠ at Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno. He is a member of Faculty of Medicine’s Surgical Council. During Prof. Brychta’s tenure as head of the clinic, a total of seven doctoral students successfully defended their dissertations. In 2024, the Scientific Council awarded Prof. Brychta the Silver Medal of Masaryk University in recognition of his work to date.
 

Prof. Brychta’s publishing activities are extensive. They include two monographs:

• Brychta P, Stanek J. Laserová estetická chirurgie (Laser esthetic surgery). Galén, 2000
• Brychta P, Stanek J. Estetická plastická chirurgie a korektivní dermatologie (Esthetic plastic surgery and corrective dermatology). Grada, 2014.

He has also contributed to four foreign monographs, two domestic monographs, 92 journal articles as first author or co-author, and 59 lectures at conferences and symposia (74 professional lectures, including 23 lectures given abroad).

His research activities include three grants of the Internal Grant Agency of Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, Category I (1992–2003):

• Treatment of burns and skin defects using in vitro cultured keratinocyte coverings (nominated for the Minister of Health Award, 1995);
• Replacement of dermis in burns and other extensive skin defects;
• Recombinant skin replacement for the treatment of burns.

He was also the owner of the patent: “Cultured epidermal graft”.
 

His work in the Committee of Burn Medicine Society of JEP Czech Medical Association is indispensable, here he served as Vice-chairman and subsequently Chairman of the Professional Society Committee from 2011 to 2024, with a four-year break when he was Vice-chairman. Moreover, he was Chairman of Laser Aesthetic Surgery Section from 1998 to 2012.

He is also a member of other domestic medical societies –⁠ Czech Surgical Society of JEP Czech Medical Association, Czech Society of Plastic Surgery of JEP Czech Medical Association, Czech Society for Hand Surgery of JEP Czech Medical Association, and Society for the Use of Laser in Medicine of JEP Czech Medical Association. In 2019, the Committee of Burn Medicine Society of JEP Czech Medical Society awarded Prof. Brychta the Professor Radana Königová Award.

Prof. Brychta is an active member of a number of international medical societies:

European Burn Association (EBA), where, after four years, he was elected Scientific Secretary for the years 2005–2007, Vice President for 2007–2009, and President of EBA for 2009–2011. Under his leadership, the first version of EBA guideline European Practice Guidelines for Burn Care: Minimum level of burn care provision in Europe was published in 2011. After three revisions, it is still valid and used as one of the bases for awarding European grants. This work was published on pages 97–102, among others. (In: Handbook of Burns Volume 1: Acute Burn Care. Jeschke MG, Kamolz L-P, Sjöberg F, Wolf SE (eds.). Springer-Verlag Wien, 2012.)

He was also a member of:

• International Society for Burn Injuries (ISBI) –⁠ Vice-president in 2008–2010
• World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM)
• European Society for Laser Aesthetic Surgery (ESLAS) –⁠ Vice-president in 2010–2012
• International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) –⁠ member and lecturer

In conclusion, Prof. Brychta shared his latest knowledge and experience with his colleagues and students. The overall number of his professional activities is impressive. We would like to thank him for his work in the field of burn medicine and wish him all the best for the future years.

The team of Burn and Plastic Surgery Department
Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, and University Hospital Brno