Who is Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, the best neurosurgeon of the century? How old was he and where was he from?

Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, known worldwide as the "Best Neurosurgeon of the Century," has passed away.

Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu shared the sad news with the public.

"I learned with great sadness of the passing of our teacher, Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, who was chosen as the 'Best Neurosurgeon of the Century' for his unique work in his field. In a life dedicated to science that spanned nearly a century, he accomplished many things that set an example for us all. We will do our best to keep his memory alive. May he rest in peace and may his place be high."

WHO IS GAZİ YAŞARGİL?

Gazi Yaşargil was born on July 6, 1925, in the Lice district of Diyarbakır. After completing his medical education in Turkey, he went to Basel, Switzerland, for his master's degree and neurosurgery specialization training. He then turned to neurosurgery after working in the field of psychiatry at the University of Bern.

Focusing on brain anatomy and surgery, Yaşargil began working in the Neurosurgery Department of the University of Basel in 1953. He continued his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Zurich in 1965.

Between 1965 and 1967, he conducted significant research on microvascular surgery at the University of Vermont in the United States. He received the title of professor in 1973 and was appointed head of the Neurosurgery Department at the University of Zurich.

HIS DISCOVERIES

Gazi Yaşargil achieved groundbreaking inventions in various fields of surgery. Pioneering microscope-assisted brain surgeries, Yaşargil successfully performed the first brain bypass surgery using a surgical microscope in 1967.

Finding the existing equipment insufficient at the time, Yaşargil began designing innovative surgical tools to meet the needs. The special clips he developed to temporarily close blood vessels during intracranial aneurysm operations are still used as a standard in modern neurosurgery today.

He also designed the Leyla retractor, which allows the brain to be moved gently to gain better access to the surgical field. This tool is now considered one of the indispensable instruments of neurosurgery operations.

Another revolutionary device developed by Yaşargil was the Floating Microscope. This mobile microscope system provided surgeons with a wider and more flexible field of view, increasing the success rate of operations.

IMPACT AND LEGACY

Gazi Yaşargil became one of the most respected names in his field with his groundbreaking contributions to neurosurgery. Playing a major role in the widespread adoption of the surgical microscope, Yaşargil laid the foundations of modern neurosurgery with the techniques and devices he developed.

Yaşargil, who was chosen as the "Neurosurgeon of the Century" by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in the US in 1999, was also awarded a medal of honor by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies.

The documentary titled "Master of Brains, Gazi Yaşargil," released in the US in 2021, tells the story of his life and scientific achievements. Considered one of the most important neurosurgeons of the 20th century alongside Harvey Cushing, Yaşargil was also named one of the 10 greatest Turks of the last millennium by the Cumhuriyet newspaper.

News Source: 12punto