11.06.2025 12:30
Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, who was selected as the "Best Neurosurgeon of the Century" for his unique work in the field, passed away at the age of 100.
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu announced the passing of Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, who was selected as the "Best Neurosurgeon of the Century," at the age of 99.
Minister Memişoğlu stated, "I learned with great sadness about the passing of our esteemed Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, who was chosen as the 'Best Neurosurgeon of the Century' for his unique contributions in his field. He had signed many works that served as an example for all of us during his life dedicated to science, which approached a century. We will do our best to keep his memory alive. May his place be paradise, and his rank be high."
WHO IS GAZİ YAŞARGİL? Gazi Yaşargil was born on July 6, 1925, in the Lice district of Diyarbakır. After completing his medical education in Turkey, he received his master's degree and specialized training in neurosurgery in Basel, Switzerland. He then worked in the psychiatry department at Bern University, where he turned his focus to the field of neurosurgery. Yaşargil, who conducted studies on brain anatomy and surgery, began working in the Neurosurgery department at Basel University in 1953. In 1965, he continued his work as an assistant professor at the University of Zurich. Between 1965 and 1967, he conducted significant studies in the field of microvascular surgery at the University of Vermont in the United States. In 1973, he earned the title of professor and became the head of the Neurosurgery Department at the University of Zurich.
Gazi Yaşargil HE MADE IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES Gazi Yaşargil has made significant discoveries in various fields of surgery. He brought a new dimension to brain surgery operations performed using a microscope, and in 1967, he performed the first brain bypass surgery with a surgical microscope. Finding the equipment used in this field inadequate, Yaşargil began designing innovative devices. The clips he developed for clamping vessels during intracranial aneurysm surgeries are still used in modern surgical practices. Additionally, he designed the Leyla retractor to facilitate easier movement of brain tissue to access the surgical area in brain surgery. This tool has become an indispensable part of brain surgeries today. Another important device developed by Yaşargil is the "Floating Microscope." This mobile microscope system has made it easier for surgeons by providing a wider field of view in brain surgery.
HE WAS AWARDED THE TITLE OF "NEUROSURGEON OF THE CENTURY" Gazi Yaşargil's contributions to medicine and surgery have made him one of the leading figures in neurosurgery. In 1999, he was awarded the title of "Neurosurgeon of the Century" by the American Congress of Neurological Surgeons and was honored with a medal by the European Association of Neurosurgeons. Yaşargil played a significant role in the widespread use of surgical microscopes and left a lasting legacy in the medical community with his innovative work in the field of neurosurgery. Additionally, a documentary titled "Master of Brains, Gazi Yaşargil," which focuses on his life and scientific achievements, was released in the United States in 2021. He is considered one of the most important neurosurgeons of the 20th century alongside Harvey Cushing. In 2000, he was selected by Cumhuriyet Newspaper as one of the 10 great Turkish figures in history, alongside Atatürk and Ibn Sina, in the last thousand years.
Yaşargil's contributions to the field of neurosurgery have had a significant impact not only in the medical world but also with the devices that have raised the standards of surgeries. Gazi Yaşargil, who was chosen as the "Man of the Century" in America, is also recognized as a respected scientist worldwide. The techniques and devices he developed have formed the cornerstones of modern neurosurgery today.