Professor Gazi Yaşargil, a world-renowned pioneer known as the father of modern neurosurgery, passed away at 100. Türkiye's Minister of Health, Kemal Memişoğlu, announced his death and paid tribute to his lifelong dedication to science and groundbreaking contributions spanning nearly a century.
Gazi Yaşargil was born in 1925 in Lice, Diyarbakır, southeastern Türkiye. He attended Ankara Atatürk High School, where his closest friend was the famous poet Can Yücel. Though their paths diverged at university, their friendship endured.
In 1943, Yaşargil moved to Germany for his medical education and later continued his studies in Switzerland. He graduated from the University of Basel in 1949. By 1953, he began his neurosurgical specialization at the University of Zurich and earned his associate professorship in 1960.
During this period, Türkiye experienced the 1960 military coup. Although Yaşargil was called for military service, he could not return as he was on the verge of becoming a professor. Consequently, the Turkish government revoked his citizenship, forcing him to live as a stateless person with a "Heimatlos" passport.
Yaşargil’s impact on neurosurgery is immeasurable, with one of his greatest legacies being the introduction and development of microsurgery in the field. In 1967, he performed the first brain bypass surgery using a microscope – a technique that revolutionized brain surgery worldwide.
He was also a pioneer in aneurysm treatment and contributed significantly to developing surgical instruments, including the floating microscope, which became essential in delicate brain operations.
In 1974, the famous poet Ece Ayhan was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Barred from entering Türkiye at the time, Yaşargil operated successfully on Ayhan in Zurich at the request of Can Yücel.
Over 25 years, Yaşargil trained more than 3,000 neurosurgeons across five continents in microsurgical techniques. He retired from the University of Zurich in 1993 but continued his work in the United States for another decade.
In 1999, the prestigious journal Neurosurgery honored him as the "Neurosurgery's Man of the Century," a testament to his extraordinary influence in the field.
At age 35, Yaşargil lost his Turkish citizenship but regained it at 63 through the intervention of then-Prime Minister Turgut Özal.
His legacy extends globally, with microsurgery laboratories named after him in universities across the U.K., the U.S. and China. The University of Arkansas established the Gazi Yaşargil Chair in his honor.
Despite his advanced age, Yaşargil never ceased his academic work. He continued teaching and conducting research at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine in Istanbul.
His numerous awards include two honorary medals from the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and countless international recognitions. Known for his disciplined routine – rising early and retiring early – he attributed his success to unwavering dedication.
In 1975, he married Dianne Bader Gibson, who was his microsurgery nurse for many years. Together, they had three children: Leyla, Ceylan and Can. His son Can was believed to be named after his lifelong friend, poet Can Yücel.
