Russian Thyroid Surgery Origin, Development in XIX - Beginning of XX Century and Present Time

Abstract

Contribution of outstanding Russian surgeons (Pirogov N.I., Inozemcev F.I., Bobrov A.A., Lezhnev N.F., Fyodorov S.P. and their pupils) to thyroid surgery is not fully appreciated yet. Dr. N.I. Pirogov (1831) described the major principles of thyroid anatomy, topography, syntopy and surgery. In 1847, he performed the first strumectomy in Russia with a detailed description of the technique and the outcome. It was also the first surgery on the thyroid in the world performed under general anesthesia. In 1904, Russian surgeon N.F. Lezhnev (Moscow) reported on 106 thyroid surgeries using visual control of recurrent laryngeal nerves in A.A. Bobrov’s clinic since 1893. V.I. Razumovsky was the first to describe medullary and anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid in 1904. He also recommended laryngoscopy in all patients prior to the surgery. S.P. Fyodorov - Professor of Imperial Military Medical Academy in Saint-Petersburg, was extremely reputable in Europe, he was also interested in ectopic goiter, and lingual goiter. When W. Mayo saw Dr. Fyodorov’s surgical skills he called him “Master of Surgery” and invited Fyodorov to become Surgeon-in-Chief at the Mayo Clinic. Recent political changes opened new opportunities for a more effective cooperation between surgeons throughout the world.