Vascular Surgery Origins - The Modern Prometheus

Vascular Surgery Origins is a podcast series that explores the fun and engaging stories that shaped vascular surgery. 

In today’s episode we will explore the search for the ‘spark of life’ to reanimate man, and how it inspired innovative arterial anastomosis techniques and frankensteinian operations. Specifically, I’ll talk about our understanding of circulation from Greeks and Galen to our modern knowledge brought to us by William Harvey, as well as other electrifying attempts at reanimation. Hear how Robert Abbe proved vascular circulation was critical for limb-replantation and how his friendship with a novelist inspired the future father of vascular surgery Alexis Carrel.  Finally, I will explore how Drs. Carrel and Guthrie mastered arterial- anastomosis and opened the floodgates to major arterial repair, limb-replantation and organ transplantation, even if some of their experiments seem a little frankensteinian.

Guthrie’s Photograph of one of his “two headed dog experiments” image from:  America’s first Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology, the story of  Guthrie and Carrel. Hugh Stephenson Jr. MD. and Robert Kimpton M. Ed

1. Robert Abbe: The life and times of a 19th century surgeon. Steven G Friedmn. Historical Vignettes in Vascular Surgery, Journal of Vascular Surgery. October 2017
2. A History of Vascular Surgery. Steven G Friedman. Blackwell Publishing. 2005
3. Alexis Carrels Nobel Lecture : https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1912/carrel/lecture/
4. The Greatest Benefit to Mankind. Roy Porter. Norton Publishing 1996
5. America’s first Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology, the story of  Guthrie and Carrel. Hugh Stephenson Jr. MD. and Robert Kimpton M. Ed
6. History of revascularization surgery: Robert Abbe’s contribution. Valdas Macionis. Archives of Plastic Surgery. May 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30931552/
7. Discovery of the function of the heart and circulation of blood. Geral Friedland. Cardiovascular Journal of Africa May-June, 2009.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19575077/
8.  William Harvey and the Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood Part II, Roberto Bolli. Circulation Circulation Research. Vol 129.  No. 9, April 25, 2019. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.314977
9.  William Harvey and the Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood Part III, Roberto Bolli.  Circulation Circulation Research.  Vol 129, NO.10. May 9th, 2019. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.314978
10. Historical Perspective: Harvey's epoch-making discovery of the Circulation, its historical antecedents, and some initial consequences on medical practice. Ares Pasipoularides.  Journal of Applied Physiology. June 2013.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23558385/ 
11. Frankenstein: the real experiments that inspired the fictional science. Iwan Morus. The Conversation. Oct. 26, 2018. https://theconversation.com/frankenstein-the-real-experiments-that-inspired-the-fictional-science-105076
12.  Alexis Carrel: Father of Vascular Anastomosis and Organ Transplantation. Ajay Savlania. Indian Journal of Vascular and Endovsacular Surgery.  Vol. 4 Issue 3, 2017. https://www.indjvascsurg.org/article.asp?issn=0972-0820;year=2017;volume=4;issue=3;spage=115;epage=117;aulast=Savlania   
13. Frankenstein, Mary Shelly
14. Mortmain, Arthur Cheney Train 
15. A History of Vascular and Microvascular Surgery. Rickard, Rory & Hudson, Don. (2013). Annals of plastic surgery. 10.1097/SAP.0b013e3182710027. 

Host:  Marlene (@GarciaNeuer ) is a 4th year medical student at THE Ohio State College of Medicine.

Credits:

Author: Marlene Garcia-Neuer

Editor: Yasong Yu

Reviewers: Sharif Ellozy and Adam Johnson