[Our surgical heritage. Alexis Carrel (1873-1944)]

Carrel did fundamental research in many branches of experimental surgery. Starting with perfectioning vessel anastomoses in 1902, he began with the transplantation of organs as early as in the first decade of this century. Vessel bank, patch-technique, extracorporeal circulation and the artificial heart have their scientific basis in Carrel's investigations. Carrel was not only an outstanding but a visionary surgeon, far ahead of his time, now almost forgotten.