On the 180th anniversary of Emil Theodor Kocher, a Swiss thyroid surgeon

August 25, 2021 marks the 180th anniversary of the birth of the renowned physician Emil Theodor Kocher. He was a man whose talent has manifested itself in various fields of medicine. Nowadays it is impossible to imagine a doctor who does not know the name of Kocher, because he is the author of many surgical methods and techniques that are still valid, despite advances in modern medicine. Furthermore, some of the instruments designed by Kocher are still used in surgery. In addition to the biography of Kocher, this article considers information about his work in the field of thyroidology, for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1909. Kocher has performed more than 5,000 thyroidectomies during his career. Thanks to the technique he developed, the mortality rate of that surgery decreased at least fortyfold. In those days there were not researches on functions of the thyroid gland, but Kocher noticed that total thyroidectomy leads to serious consequences. Therefore he refused to do such surgeries without invariable indications.

History of phlebology (Part II)

The article presents data about the history of phlebology development in the period from XV to XX centuries – the key time of the establishment of medicine, the most important discoveries and breakthroughs. In the Middle ages the development of surgery, particularly in Europe, slowed considerably, due to the dominance of the Church and the introduction of various restrictions. However, the stagnation of the Middle ages gave way to the flowering of the Renaissance – a time of rapid development of art, science and technology. Gradually surgery were included in University education, and this marked the beginning of further improvement. XVII-XVIII centuries can be considered the time of completion of the empirical approach in surgery. In this period the development of phlebology has had a huge impact discoveries in physiology, histology, pathological anatomy and clinical medicine. A crucial period in medicine began XIX-XX centuries – asepsis and antisepsis, general and local anaesthesia, techniques of blood transfusion etc. was opened. The development of phlebology in this period was influenced by such scholars as Jerome Fabrizi, Ambroise Paré, Max Schede, Alexei Trojans, Friedrich Trendelenburg, Georg, Perthes, Albert Narath, William Wayne Babcock, Otto Wilhelm Madelung, Emil Theodor Kocher, etc. The article describes their contribution to the history of phlebology.

Modified use of Kocher's dissector in ligation of the superior thyroid pedicle

Background:More than a century has passed since Emil Theodor Kocher first described the use of ‘Kocher's thyroid dissector’ to secure the superior thyroid pedicle.Method:Despite the technological advances in thyroid surgery, the dissector remains an extremely useful instrument. This paper describes a modified use of the dissector, and reports on how this facilitates safer and easier surgery.Results and conclusion:Application of this simple, modified technique can improve the safety and efficiency of thyroid surgery, with negligible financial outlay.

Emil Theodor Kocher (1841-1917): Orthopaedic surgeon and the first surgeon Nobel Prize winner

Theodor Emil Kocher (1841-1917) was born in Bern and educated in several universities in Europe. Like many surgeons of that time, Kocher performed orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, neurosurgery and endocrine surgery and became famous in many fields. He is remembered for his description of a new approach to the hip joint and elbow joint, as well as a maneuver for reduction of dislocated shoulder joints. He introduced many instruments and some of them, such as the Kocher clamp are still in use. His most important contribution was thyroid gland surgery, and he received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1909, for this advancement. He was a scientific, hard working meticulous surgeon, dedicated to his patients and students, which found him a place in the history of medicine.