To sort out the history of microsurgery in China from 1960 to 1973 based on the literatures in chronological order.

Chinese and English scientific journals and academic monographs published in public and in house were searched, and the words "microsurgery" and "microsurgery related" literatures in both Chinese and English were carefully read and analysed. The dates of operation, communication and report were recorded and confirmed.

Microsurgery in China started in early 1963, thanks to the report of the world's first successful severed limb replantation in Shanghai Sixth Hospital. In the following 3 years, many teams carried out experimental researches on microvascular technology and explored the replantation of severed fingers. In 1964, the world's first severed leg replantation. In 1966, the world's first toe transfer was operated to reconstruct the thumb, and the world's first batch of completely severed fingers were successfully replanted by microvascular suture. In 1972, it was reported, at the Guangzhou Conference on Replantation of Severed Limbs, that a 44.9% of survival rate had been achieved over 260 cases and the term "microsurgery" was used for the first time in the conference. In March, 1973, the second free inguinal flap transfer in the world was completed. In May, 1973, an American Replantation Mission visited China. It opened a precedent for academic exchange in microsurgery between China and foreign countries. With 10 years of clinical practices, the original and advanced Chinese limb (finger) replantation technology and principle had been recognised by the international peers.

The research on the history of Chinese microsurgery has confirmed that the development of Chinese microsurgery was basically synchronised with the world, but with a difficult start in 1960-1973.

Chinese microsurgery; Replantation of severed limbs; Replantation of severed fingers; Toe transplantation; Thumb reconstruction; Academic history