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Michael DeBakey, Consummate Medical Geek, Dead At 99
NIckGorton writes "Dr. Michael DeBakey, the father of modern heart surgery, died this week at age 99. He was integral to the development of pretty much everything in modern cardiovascular surgery: bypass (heart-lung machines that made open-heart surgery possible for the first time), coronary artery bypass surgery (he did the first one ever), carotid endarterectomey (again he performed the first one), the development of Dacron graft blood vessels, and the development of MASH units. He was a consummate geek and numerous surgical instruments bear his name. He was also the first surgeon to videotape surgeries — in the 1960s. He was considered by the NEJM to be the single greatest surgeon alive until two days ago. In his career he performed over 50,000 heart surgeries and practiced medicine (though not surgery) until the day he died. In 2005 he underwent the Debakey procedure, which he pioneered, to treat the aortic dissection he suffered."
Little over a year ago I was almost run over by a Porsche in the Texas Medical Center that looked like it was being driven by the grim specter of geath. Turns out it was DeBakey. I was later told by a friend at Baylor College of Medicine that DeBakey was still practicing when he felt like it! What a stud. 97 years old (at the time), still practicing medicine, and still spry enough to terrorize rogue jay-walkers in his 911. Via con dios, old man.
Because, "anime-obsessed, Monty Python-incessantly-quoting dweebs" isn't the only definition of "geek", though it is a derogatory one.
"Geek", as I understand the term, usually refers to someone who excels at, is fascinated by, and focuses on one particular thing, often though not always of a scientific or technical nature.
However, in the case of the late, esteemed Michael DeBakey, perhaps "hacker" might be the more appropriate term, given the hands-on nature of his work - a hacker of the human body, in the best, most respectful sense of the term.
In 1970, I had open heart surgery to repair an aortic ventricular aneurysm. I was 7 years old. I was on a heart-lung machine for the surgery, and my surgeon, Jay Ankeney, was undoubtable a denizen or Dr. DeBakey. At the time, open heart surgery was rare and extremely risky, and nearly unheard of on a child. A few years ago, I had the chance to meet one of the leading cardiac surgeons in Chicago, and told him about my experience. When he found out a surgeon had done open heart on a 7 year old in 1970 he exclaimed "that guy must have had steel balls to try and pull that off." DeBakey had a pair of big brass ones - EVERY time he cut into a patient, that patient was in jeopardy of dying soon, and dying from the procedure - a rock and a hard place. And he did it over and over. While 50,000 people owe him a direct debt, we all owe him an enormous one. I for one will recall his blessings.