Nothing is more difficult than to introduce a new order because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.—Niccolo Machiavelli
The only constant thing in medicine is change.—Charles Mayo
In 1983 as an intern in surgery at the Mayo Clinic, I lost my first patient. The patient had undergone a technically superb operation by a master surgeon, yet he died of a complication unrelated to the actual procedure. Even to a young and inexperienced surgical trainee, it was clear that the procedure was highly invasive and a less invasive and more directed approach may have yielded a very different result.
In 1974, I came to America to pursue a career in medicine. I was counseled by my father, an accomplished surgeon and a life-long student and educator, to honor that exceptional opportunity by pursuing a career with meaning and purpose.
In 2001 and 2002, two young surgeons, Doctors Marc Margolis and Farzad Najam, completed their training in cardiothoracic surgery in our program. Shortly thereafter, they joined me in the journey that had begun with my father's words.
These are the three pivotal events that have led to the writing of this book.
Robotics is simply a chapter in the life-long quest for minimally invasive surgery. For me, advancing the art and science of minimally invasive surgery began with my patient in 1983. Since then I have been privileged to be part of this movement, which transformed surgery in the latter half of the twentieth century. Undoubtedly, robotics will continue these advances into the twenty-first century. Robotics has brought us closer to the goal of achieving the benefits of surgery with the least disruption to the normal functions of the human body. However, we need to look to the day when the entire definition of surgery will be vastly different from the concepts of today. In order to achieve this goal, we will need to ignite the fire of this quest in hearts of all surgeons. I hope that this book will do its small part in achieving this audacious goal. Should this occur, collectively, we would have created lives that mattered. I cannot imagine a better way in which to honor the memory of my father and my patient, and to fulfill the promise to my younger colleagues.
Book Features
Product Details
List Price: $189.00
The only constant thing in medicine is change.—Charles Mayo
In 1983 as an intern in surgery at the Mayo Clinic, I lost my first patient. The patient had undergone a technically superb operation by a master surgeon, yet he died of a complication unrelated to the actual procedure. Even to a young and inexperienced surgical trainee, it was clear that the procedure was highly invasive and a less invasive and more directed approach may have yielded a very different result.
In 1974, I came to America to pursue a career in medicine. I was counseled by my father, an accomplished surgeon and a life-long student and educator, to honor that exceptional opportunity by pursuing a career with meaning and purpose.
In 2001 and 2002, two young surgeons, Doctors Marc Margolis and Farzad Najam, completed their training in cardiothoracic surgery in our program. Shortly thereafter, they joined me in the journey that had begun with my father's words.
Robotics is simply a chapter in the life-long quest for minimally invasive surgery. For me, advancing the art and science of minimally invasive surgery began with my patient in 1983. Since then I have been privileged to be part of this movement, which transformed surgery in the latter half of the twentieth century. Undoubtedly, robotics will continue these advances into the twenty-first century. Robotics has brought us closer to the goal of achieving the benefits of surgery with the least disruption to the normal functions of the human body. However, we need to look to the day when the entire definition of surgery will be vastly different from the concepts of today. In order to achieve this goal, we will need to ignite the fire of this quest in hearts of all surgeons. I hope that this book will do its small part in achieving this audacious goal. Should this occur, collectively, we would have created lives that mattered. I cannot imagine a better way in which to honor the memory of my father and my patient, and to fulfill the promise to my younger colleagues.
Farid Gharagozloo
Book Features
- Up-to-date information and advice on how you can integrate robotic surgery into your clinical practice right now!
- Edited by experts from the Washington Institute of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine and Hospital, and authored by pioneers in the field of robotics.
- Broad, step-by-step coverage of surgical procedures that spans cardiac, thoracic, general, and urologic surgery, encompassing everything from robot-assisted mitral valve repair to robotic gastric surgery and robotic donor nephrectomy.
- Important focus on how the implementation of robotic surgery principles and procedures leads to improved surgical outcomes.
- Insightful final section that examines the new frontiers of robotic surgery, including the role of robotic surgery during space exploration and the overall future of the specialty.
- Farid Gharagozloo, MD, is surgeon-in-chief at the Washington Institute of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, chief of clinical cardiothoracic surgery and clinical professor of surgery at the George Washington University Medical Center, chief of thoracic surgery at Harbor Hospital Center in Baltimore, and chief of thoracic oncology at the Northern Virginia Thoracic Oncology Program in Reston.
- Farzad Najam, MD, FACS, is associate director of cardiac surgery and assistant clinical professor of surgery at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC.
Product Details
- Hardcover: 436 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (October 7, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 007145912X
- ISBN-13: 978-0071459129
- Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 1.1 inches
List Price: $189.00