A Tribute to Tony Bull Surgeon, Teacher, Leader, Gentleman (1934 – 2016)

Tony Bull

Many ENT surgeons will remember Tony Bull for his outstanding lectures on nasal plastic surgery, entertaining but at the same time most informative. He was an exceptionally dexterous rhinoplasty surgeon but was also an accomplished otologist, elected as President of the Section of Otology at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, where he gave one of his most memorable lectures on stapedectomy.

Tony Bull died in London in April 2016 at the age of 81. The son of a dentist, he was sent away to boarding school at the tender age of 5 and later attended Monkton Combe Senior School near Bath, where he excelled both academically and at sport, playing tennis for Somerset and hockey at both at county level for Essex and at National level for Wales. His undergraduate medical training was undertaken at the London Hospital and he was appointed as a consultant surgeon to The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital before he reached the age of 30.

In 1970 he established the Rhinoplasty course at the Institute of Laryngology and Otology based at the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital. His live surgical demonstrations relayed from the operating theatre, combined with his unique lecturing skills, ensured that this course would be a great success and soon attracted a multidisciplinary group of ENT, plastic, ophthalmic and maxillo-facial surgeons not only from the UK and the rest of Europe but also from further afield.

In his early career he had spent time in the USA where he made many friends and in due course was introduced to the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. With his friend and colleague, Professor Claus Walter, they set about establishing the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. After some initial reluctance to use the term ‘Academy’ the society was initially named ‘The Joseph Society’ in honour of Jacques Joseph who in the 1920s played such an important role in developing aesthetic surgery including rhinoplasty. The first meeting was held in London in 1977. A few years later the association reverted to the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery and it is as this that it has continued to expand and flourish. In due course he was elected President of the EAFPS and later as the President of the International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgical Societies. He remained an enthusiastic member of these organisations right up until the end of his life and despite developing bilateral vocal cord palsy, he remained in constant demand to deliver lectures both at home and abroad.

His Color Atlas of ENT was first published in 1974, now in its 5^th edition it has been translated into numerous languages and continues to be a best seller. In addition to his books, chapters and scientific papers, he was for many years the co-editor with Eugene Tardy, of Facial Plastic Surgery.

Tony was a keen boxing fan, a member of Queens Tennis Club and the Marylebone Cricket Club and remained a keen golfer to the end. He was devoted to his wife Jill, his 3 children Amanda, Karen and Anthony and his 6 grand-daughters. He has made an outstanding contribution to his specialty and will be greatly missed.

Ian Mackay, Retired Rhinologist and Consultant, Charing Cross and Royal Brompton Hospitals, London, UK