Born in 1870 in Saladillo, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, Dr. Alejandro Posadas would pioneer thoracic surgery in Argentina while performing the first ever filmed operation. He would attend the Jesuit’s College of El Salvador before continuing to the University of Buenos Aires to study medicine (1894). His thesis was titled “Toracoplastia temporaria y parcial” or “Partial and and Temporary Thoracoplasty”. During his studies, he would go on to be the first to characterize what is now known as coccidiodomycosis and became self-trained in thoracic surgery. He ended up being a self-taught thoracic surgeon since his surgical professors had no experience with thoracic operations. Thus, he trained on animal models and corpses to develop his skills.
After graduating in 1894, Posadas began using theoretical surgical techniques, gaining international recognition for advancements in pulmonary surgery and improvements in patient care. These techniques made it easier to treat pleural effusions, prevent pulmonary collapse, and treat cysts without drainage. Dr. Posadas introduced Argentina to the use of X-ray technology for pulmonary scans, and in 1899, he filmed the first-ever surgical video. He contracted tuberculosis and died in 1902, while studying abroad in France, at the young age of 31.
References:
- https://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(04)00226-7/fulltext
- Deresinski, Stan & Mirels, Laurence. (2019). Coccidioidomycosis: What a long strange trip it’s been. Medical Mycology. 57. S3-S15. 10.1093/mmy/myy123.
- Posadas, A. Toracoplastia temporaria y parcial. Peuser, Buenos Aires, 1898
- https://www.cinemargentino.com/en/films/914988656-operaciones-del-dr-posadas
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352452915000365
Image: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
