Tagliacozzi: no sólo cirujano plástico / Tagliacozzi: not just a plastic surgeon

RESUMEN

Gaspare Tagliacozzi es tan conocido por sus grandes aportaciones como pionero de la Cirugía Plástica, que ha opacado en buena parte otra actividad trascendental que desarrolló, durante casi 30 años fue profesor de Cirugía y Anatomía en Bolonia. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar su actividad docente, considerada igualmente importante, y recrear mediante recursos pictóricos, tres momentos históricos importantes en la vida académica de este personaje. Gaspare Tagliacozzi nació en Bolonia en 1545. Es considerado padre de la cirugía plástica. Obtuvo el grado de Doctor en Medicina y Filosofía en la universidad. Fue nombrado profesor de Cirugía en 1576, actividad que realizó hasta su muerte en 1599. Publicó su libro De Curtorum Chirurgia per Insitionem considerado el primer tratado exclusivo de Cirugía Plástica. Como profesor, Tagliacozzi realizó disecciones formales en la universidad. Su éxito docente lo revela su estipendio: él comenzó ganando 100 liras, que se elevaron a 1140. Sus aportaciones, junto a las de muchos otros (Vesalio, Aldrovani, Falopio, Eustaquio etc.) dieron brillo a los conocimientos anatómicos.

ABSTRACT

Gaspare Tagliacozzi is known because of his great contributions to plastic surgery. He is considered a pioneer in the field, which has had more influence in his career than his other transcendental activity as a surgery and anatomy teacher in Bologna for almost 30 years. The aim of the present manuscript is to analyze his teaching activities which were equally important for us, and to recreate, with pictorial means, three unpublished historic moments in the life of this great man of science. Gaspare Tagliacozzi was born in Bologna in 1545 and is considered the father of plastic surgery. He obtained a degree in medicine and philosophy at the University. He was named surgery professor in 1576, and worked as such until his death in 1599. His De Curtorum Chirurgia per Insitionem treatise was published in 1589 and was considered the first exclusive treatise on plastic surgery. Bologna built a permanent operating theater (amphitheater) within the Archiginnasio in 1595. Because of his success, he increased his earnings; his first university teaching salary was 100 lire, but his earning increased to 1,140 lire later. Tagliacozzi's contributions, together with that of others such as Vesalius, Aldrovandi, Fallopian and Eustachian advanced the field and knowledge of anatomy.