The excerpt doesn't do the story justice. His awesome
accomplishments listed in this obituary go on and on ...
Posted on 07/12/2008 5:11:33 AM PDT by Zakeet
Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, internationally acclaimed as the father of modern cardiovascular surgery — and considered by many to be the greatest surgeon ever — died Friday night at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. He was 99.
Methodist officials said DeBakey died of natural causes. They gave no additional details.
Medical statesman, chancellor emeritus of Baylor College of Medicine, and a surgeon at The Methodist Hospital since 1949, DeBakey trained thousands of surgeons over several generations, achieving legendary status decades before his death. During his career, he estimated he had performed more than 60,000 operations. His patients included the famous — Russian President Boris Yeltsin and movie actress Marlene Dietrich among them — and the uncelebrated.
"Dr. DeBakey singlehandedly raised the standard of medical care, teaching and research around the world," said Dr. George Noon, a cardiovascular surgeon and longtime partner of DeBakey's. "He was the greatest surgeon of the 20th century, and physicians everywhere are indebted to him for his contributions to medicine."
Debakey almost died in 2006, when he suffered an aortic aneurysm, a condition for which he pioneered the treatment. He is considered the oldest patient to have both undergone and survived surgery for it. He recovered well enough to go to Washington earlier this year to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's two highest civilian honors.
He remained vigorous and was a player in medicine well into his 90s, performing surgeries, traveling and publishing articles in scientific journals. His large hands were steady, his hearing sharp. His personal health regimen included taking the stairs at work and a single cup of coffee in the morning.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
The excerpt doesn't do the story justice. His awesome
accomplishments listed in this obituary go on and on ...
Didn’t he also author the song, “I left your heart in San Francisco”?
Dr. DeBakey would make my list of the 100 Greatest Americans. He trained Dr. Wayne Isom, who saved by brother-in-law’s life by improvising a new technique while his chest was open—a complete change from the surgery plan.
He invented Emergency Medicine. Believe me, Baylor College of Medicine will soon be Debakey College of Medicine, and it should be, because that is what it is.
It always makes me a little sad when someone passes at 99 because they’re so close to acheiving their centennial, but I doubt it matters that much to them.
For "the greatest surgeon ever" I think one must look up names like Dr Harvey Cushing for starters.
In WW II, he developed the concept of the MASH unit - and, together with the atraumatic vascular clamp which he invented, saved thousands of arms and legs otherwise destined to be amputated.
I would like to give a personal testimony to this great man. Back in the early 70’s my friend wrote a letter to Dr. DeBakey explaining how her invalid mother had been housebound for years due to her heart problems. She lived in a small town in Southern Illinois and was a housewife all her life and now totally incapacitated due to her heart.
Within the week that my friend sent the letter, Dr. Debakey called my friend’s mother on a Friday night and talked to her personally. She told him she did not have insurance and didn’t know if she had enough money for him to treat her. He told her if she could get to Texas, the hospital expenses would be around $10,000 and she wouldn’t have to worry about his $5000 fee, he did her surgery for no charge.
She lived many years after her surgery. What a great, kind man. May he rest in peace.
I assume that the College of Medicine at Baylor will be named after him - how could it be otherwise?
When DeBakey was in the building The Methodist Hospital of Houston was the finest medical center in the world.
Well, surgeons are a competitive bunch - but there is NO cardiac or vascular surgeon in Boston, NY, SF, or otherwise who does not stand on the shoulders of Michael DeBakey - and none of them, crazy egotistical though they are, would say otherwise.
Horsehockey! Houston and Dallas and Galveston have some of the greatest medical centers in the world....from vascular surgery to chemotherapy to cardiovascular to reconstructive surgery.
As far as Dr. DeBakey, I suggest you read here. http://www.houston.va.gov/debakey.asp
You are Exhibit A for the reason the rest of the country disdains northeasterners. Perhaps if you got out and traveled a little more, your lack of education and humility could be remedied.
He invented the roller heart pump—while in medical school. He sewed up the first artificial artery out of Dacron himself, on his wife's sewing machine. He had over 50 inventions, the last one mentioned in the article in 2004 when he was 94—a child-sized heart pump.
I am in awe. Now THAT's a physician.
I don't know much,my FRiend,but I do know a bit about the world of medicine (note that I said "world of" and not "practice of").I've bumped into more Nobel Prize winners in the corridors of the (Boston) hospital where I worked for 20+ years than you've had hot dinners.And I can assure you that while Methodist Hospital is,no doubt,an excellent hospital (with or without DeBakey) it can't hold a candle to dozens of hospitals in the cities I've mentioned....as well as one or two others.
Al Gore? Jimmy Carter?
20 years in Boston hospitals only shows your limited exposure to the world of medicine. My Dad, a cardiovascular physiologist, chose Baylor School of Medicine over Tuft's and Mass General after 2 years of exposure to "New England" medicine. My Mom, a graduate of Tuft's School of Medicine, also found the type of medicine practiced in "New England" very restrictive.
Every time I go into surgery I am using hemostats and needle holders that were designed by this man. He sure made my technique better with his designed instruments.
I've done a fair amount of traveling in my day.Feel free to check my profile page if you're curious as to where I've traveled.
...your lack of education....
Particularly in light of the fact that you haven't the foggiest idea of my educational credentials (or my life experiences) you've gotta admit that that's a cheap shot.
....and humility could be remedied.
How does "humility" enter into this....except,perhaps,where DeBakey is described as "the greatest surgeon ever"? That sounds like the statement of a hospital administrator who trying to enhance the margins of the hospital that he/she runs (Methodist?) or a surgeon (or group of surgeons)who's trying to ride DeBakey's coattails.
"Greatest surgeon ever"? If you want to discuss humility focus first on *that* statement.
What we have here, folks, is a classic case of a Metropollyanna. Someone hwo believes that all social, cultural, economic and scientific life is centered around a handful of cities, and everyone who doesn't live in one of them desperately wants to.
Show me a doctor who's passionate about expanding the field of medical knowledge, and I'll show you a doctor who would dearly love to work in Rochester, Minnesota, or in Atlanta.
yep.....This man was one of Gods best.
RIP DOCTOR...Thank You,........
Cushing .....or DeBakey...HA...Blow a valve.....git your ass to Houston....
DeBakey did some 60K operations along with teaching others and inventing new devices, how does that compare to the geniuses you have known?
Clever....clever.
20 years in Boston hospitals only shows your limited exposure to the world of medicine.
Maybe you're right.What can one possibly learn about the world of medicine by working where I did for as long as I did?
My Mom, a graduate of Tuft's School of Medicine, also found the type of medicine practiced in "New England" very restrictive.
Given that New England medicine is so....ordinary...I'd be curious to learn why your mother chose Tufts rather than....say....the University of North Arkansas.And I'd also be curious to hear whether or not she believes that her Tufts degree might have opened doors for her,career-wise,that might not have been opened to a graduate of the University of North Arkansas.And I'd also be curious to hear what she means by "very restrictive".Is that a way of affirming the wisdom of the command contained in the Hippocratic Oath "first,do no harm"....?
For better or for worse Boston is the world capital of medicine and has been for years.It certainly might not be so 20 years from now (there are stories around here these days saying that given the outrageous prices of homes around here promising young doctors are going elsewhere).Boston surely isn't the only place where one can get excellent health care.But when push comes to shove it's still one of the handful of cities that people in India or Indiana want to go to for a cure of their rare,deadly ailment.
bttt for a great man!
Given that Cushing was a neurosurgeon going to DeBakey for a blown heart valve might have been the wiser choice.
The Mayo Clinic is the exception to the rule...a world class research center in a relatively rural area.And I have no doubt that one can receive outstanding care in Atlanta....which is by no means a small town.
Condolences to his family and friends. He will be remembered a long, long time.
RIP.
I think that if you were to put aside your sweeping generalizations and go and review the topic for which Nobel prizes have been awarded in Medicine and Physiology for the last 20 or 30 years, or more, you will find that it is in the general area of molecular biology, and not in clinical surgical practice.
The difference is not just academic, pun very much intended.
Second you would discover that there are not actually that many live Nobel prize winners walking the halls of Boston institutions and that the list is spread all over the world.
Surely a 4-star general in God’s army of medical scientists is Dr. Michael E. DeBakey. The Lord bestowed many gifts upon him. Rest in peace dear brother.
Great story.tells a lot about what kind of man he was.
RIP Dr DeBakey
Yes,I'm aware of that and,yes,I was engaging in a bit of hyperbole.But the best medicine in the world is being practiced at the best research centers and you'll find those centers in the cities I mentioned earlier...and maybe one or two others (like New Haven).
HS
Maybe because the latter doesn't exist?
Does Boston have any treatment programs for advanced cases of snobbery?
Yes, he did heart surgery on my grand mother and saved her life. Unfortunately, she decided to go on smoking again, about 5 packs a day, and tanked about 3 years later.
Boston is the world capital of medicine.San Francisco is the world capital of debauchery.Tennessee is the world capital of jazz.London.....fog.Dublin....beer.No "snobbery" involved in any of those claims.
“Boston is the world capital of medicine.”
Repeating a personal opinion doesn’t turn it into a fact.
I was thinking specifically of the CDC. The American Cancer society is across the street, and Emory about a quarter mile up Clifton. But that's more epidemiology than surgery.
Dallas is a larger city than Atlanta, and in case you've forgotten, this sub-thread began with you doubting DeBakey's greatness because he chose to practice there.
The point you seem to be missing is that it is institutions, not cities, that create centers of medical learning. In addition to Atlanta, Dallas and Rochester, you'll find top-ranked medical centers in Durham, Nashville, Cleveland, Ann Arbor and Palo Alto, for starters.
That's not snobbish. That's just delusional.
Is the issue that you don't know the difference between jazz and blues? For the latter, Memphis has a legitimate claim. For the former, no place in Tennessee comes close.
Scratch Dallas. Make that Houston. (I had a brain spasm and tried to put him on the main Baylor campus).
Thought this would be of interest to you.
Dr. Michael DeBakey, one of the greatest surgeons and medical pioneers has past. He has changed the medical field and left a mark on it felt to this very day. Michael DeBakey lived to 99, which is very long and productive life. It still does not diminish the sadness of his loss. Dr. DeBakey saved so many lives from the ordinary to the rich and famous. You will be missed. RIP Michel Ellis Dabaghi.
ping
Hey pal, I'm sure those places have fine medical centers, but are you telling me you've never heard of the Mayo Clinic which is located in Rochester, Minnesota? I hate to give Minnesota too much credit, but people from around the world have gone there. People like George Harrison and a slew of other world celebs. It might have the highest reputation among non-Americans. What can you infer from that?
Yes,I did mention the Mayo Clinic.
This is the essence of the man...he did his job well and with passion, caring and integrity and lived his life below the radar.
He lived a long life and lived it well enjoying the gifts God gave him and using his talents to help others.
Good productive people like DeBakey rarely get noticed or lauded by the MSM...
.instead, on a daily basis, we're mired in the muck of celebrity gossip and mayhem of the latest airhead.
You're not bursting my bubble because I already know that.But when it comes to the *medical universe*,the Northeast (particularly Boston,New Haven and New York ) is about as close as you'll come to finding a "center".
Attention K-Mart shoppers....I'm done with this thread.Have a nice life!!!
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