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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2021; 69(01): 008-009
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1716568
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Galen: The First Cardiac Surgeon?

Mohammad Reza Rajabnejad 
1   Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine School of Traditional Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
Maryam Ranjbar 
2   Department of Persian Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
,
Mohammad Al-Attar 
3   Independent Researcher, Manama, Bahrain
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Abstract

It is widely believed that the first and the second pericardium surgeries were done in the nineteenth century by Francisco Romero and Dominique Jean Larrey, respectively; however, Galen was the first surgeon who proceeded with pericardiectomy. This ancient case report of sternum osteomyelitis and pericardiectomy illuminates some dark part of the history of medicine and the ability of physicians in that era.

Keyword

pericardium - chest wall - history

Notes

Many events and dates of Galen's life are uncertain or controversial.




Publication History

Received: 03 May 2020

Accepted: 03 August 2020

Article published online:
30 October 2020

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