Legends of Surgery

Latest Episodes:

Episode 88 - The History of the Parathyroid Gland Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we will trace the history of the parathyroid gland, from its identification, to the determination of its function, the understanding of hyperparathyroidism, and of course, the surgical removal of abnormal glands! Along the way we'll meet a Swedish medical student, a rhinoceros, a sea captain, and of course, a number of legends of surgery.

In the suture tales section, we'll cover the assassination of a famous political figure in the US, and the botched attempts to save his life. Lots of fun and interesting stuff in this episode!

Episode 87 - Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, Part 2: Feud and Reconciliation Feb 09, 2020

Show notes

In this 2nd part of a 2-part series on the world-famous cardiac surgeons Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, we cover their life's work, their feud, and eventual reconciliation. In addition, the history of artificial hearts is covered, as well as other topics, including the reason for Jehovah's Witnesses refusing blood transfusions. And in the latest Suture Tales, the Vineberg procedure is brought out of the dustbin of history, given a shake, and covered in detail!

Episode 86 - Dr. Nikolay Pirogov - Founder of Field Surgery Jan 11, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Dr. David Sigmon tells us the tale of the Russian surgeon Dr. Pirogov, detailing his early life, including family tragedies that would shape him, his medical and surgical training, as well as his numerous contributions to surgery. Not only did he advocate for anatomy teaching, leading to the publication of an anatomical atlas 'Anatomia Topographia', he made contributions to vascular surgery and was an early adopter of ether for anesthesia. But most importantly, Pirogov brought his skills and knowledge to the battlefields of 19th century Russia, writing the seminal manual 'Principles of War Surgery' and introducing the concept of triage!

As well, this episode contains the latest 'suture tales', covering the history of curare from the jungles of South America to the modern operating room!

Episode 85 - Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, Part 1: Origin stories Dec 11, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, we cover the early lives and career beginnings of the famous cardiovascular surgeons Drs. Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, up to their joining Baylor University College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Of course, we will take a number of side roads on the journey to cover some interesting related history. As well, this episode introduces the new segment, "Suture Tails", where we cover a topic suggested by listeners. So please send in your ideas!

Episode 84 - The Secret Identity of Dr. James Barry Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

This is another episode provided by Dr. David Sigmon! He covers the history of a surgeon who had a successful, but not necessarily legendary, surgical career. So why are we covering Dr. Barry? Because of an astounding secret that was carried to the grave! The revelation was so scandalous, the British military kept it secret for decades. To find out more about this mystery, have a listen!

Episode 83 - Halloween Edition: Shiro Ishii and the infamous Unit 731 Nov 01, 2019

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In this episode, new host and collaborator for the show, Dr. David Sigmon, tells the horrifying tale of the Japanese surgeon Dr. Shiro Ishii and Japan's infamous Unit 731. While his acts were terrible, they were not only tolerated but encouraged at the time. And both the US and USSR failed to properly prosecute him or his unit. It is difficult to hear some of these details, and the podcast may be too graphic for some, so listener beware. But it is important to remember history, even some of the darker sides of the history of surgery.

Episode 82 - Hugh Hampton Young and the Radical Prostatectomy Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

Despite the title, this episode is about far more than just the first prostatectomy performed for cancer treatment. The life of American urologist Dr. Hugh Hampton Young is covered, as well as a little part of the history of prostate surgery. And as a special bonus, there is a mini-podcast in the podcast, covering a famous surgeon of the Wild West, who lived a Forrest Gump-like life! You'll have to listen to the episode to learn more; I hope you enjoy it!

Bonus Episode 4 - A History of the Adrenal Glands Sep 18, 2019

Show notes

In this bonus episode, we welcome a new member to the Legends of Surgery team, Dr. David Simon, a general surgery resident at the University of Chicago currently researching surgical education at the University of Pennsylvania. He wrote this episode, which covers the history of the discovery of the adrenal glands, the efforts made to understand its function, and, of course, the pioneers who first operated on these glands. We'll also learn how some of the diseases produced by the adrenals have effected history, and in particular a famous American president, at a very inopportune time in history!

Episode 81 - Vesalius and the Birth of Modern Anatomy Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, we cover one of the most influential books in the history of surgery, the 'De Humane Corporis Fabrica', and its author, Andreas Vesalius. In doing so, we'll also explore the outsized influence of the ancient Roman physician Galen on anatomical knowledge, and the challenges Vesalius faced in shaking the yoke of tradition through empirical evidence. One of the giants of Renaissance medicine, Vesalius laid the groundwork for the modern field of anatomy, and in so doing, modern surgery as well.

Episode 80 - Ambroise Pare, Renaissance Surgeon Jul 09, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, we will explore the life and impact of French surgeon Ambroise Pare, who has been described as "one of the most luminous figures in the dark period of the late sixteenth century in France". A true Renaissance man, so to speak, Pare impacted a wide range of surgical practices. But his most significant impact was felt on the battlefields of Europe, as he modernized the treatment of gunshot wounds and amputations. All that, and more, in this episode!

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