Episode 106 - From toxin to cure: The story of Botox

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Episode 106 - From toxin to cure: The story of Botox

FromLegends of Surgery

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17 minutes

Released:

Jun 22, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

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Initially recognized as a poison in blood sausage by a German country doctor in the 19th century CE, botulinum toxin was isolated and purified during world war II by the American military. It was ophthalmogist Dr. Alan Scott who recognized the clinical utility of the toxin, which now has over 150 different applications!

Released:

Jun 22, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (99)

This podcast takes an entertaining and informative approach to telling the stories of the people and events that make up the history of modern surgery.

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Episode 24 - The History of Laparoscopy, Part 3: The Age of Robots: In this episode, we will look back at how robots first entered the operating room, review the current state of surgical robots and consider possible future directions. As well, we'll find out about some of the pioneers of robotic surgery and learn... by Legends of Surgery
18 min listen
Episode 33 - Transposition of the Great Vessels: In this episode, we'll take a look at a congenital heart defect and the multiple operations that were developed to try to treat it. Along the way, we'll meet some giants of cardiovascular surgery and learn a bit more about them! by Legends of Surgery
15 min listen
Episode 43 - Dr. Harvey Cushing, Part 2: Making of a Legend: In this second episode on Dr. Harvey Cushing, we will cover his career, starting at Johns Hopkins, his move to the Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston and experiences during World War I. His work on the pituitary gland and intracranial tumours is covered,... by Legends of Surgery
26 min listen
Episode 37 - Black History Month Edition: In this episode, we will take a look at the history of African Americans in surgery. We'll cover some of the first black surgeons during the Civil War, and how the war led to the development of Freedmen's Hospital. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams and what is... by Legends of Surgery
16 min listen
Episode 38 - International Women's Day Edition: In this episode, we will track the history of women in medicine and surgery from antiquity through to modern times, taking a closer look at a few extraordinary women. From the civil war, through the suffrage movement to world war I and beyond, we will... by Legends of Surgery
23 min listen
Episode 29 - Halloween Edition: In this episode, we take on the controversial and strange subject of cephalosomatic anastomosis, better known as a head transplant. Although never done before in humans, there is both a surgeon and a patient willing to try this in the near future!... by Legends of Surgery
14 min listen
Bonus Episode 2 - The Patron Saints of Surgeons: In honour of the 25th episode of Legends of Surgery, this podcast covers a bonus topic: looking at two of the patron saints of surgeons, Saints Cosmas and Damian. We cover their origin story and the miracle that is attributed to them and brought them... by Legends of Surgery
7 min listen
Episode 19 - Surgical Families: the Le Forts: This episode describes the works of Rene Le Fort, creator of the Le Fort classification of mid face fractures and describes the strange methods he used for his experiments. The descriptions are pretty graphic, so be warned! We also cover his uncle... by Legends of Surgery
13 min listen
$Episode 19 - Surgical Families: the Le Forts: This episode describes the works of Rene Le Fort, creator of the Le Fort classification of mid face fractures and describes the strange methods he used for his experiments. The descriptions are pretty graphic, so be warned! We also cover his uncle...$
Episode 22 - The History of Laparoscopy, Part 1: Origins: This is the first of a three part series exploring the history of laparoscopy, starting with the very earliest attempts to peer inside the human body, and leading up to the current day, with an eye to the future. This podcast will look at the... by Legends of Surgery
15 min listen
Episode 30 - Operating on the President: Election Day Edition, Part 1: In the next 2 episodes, we will take a look at some of the amazing stories involving presidents being operated upon, and the circumstances and outcomes of these. In the first instalment, we'll visit some of the earlier presidents, starting with the... by Legends of Surgery
15 min listen
Episode 25 - Dr. Lucille Teasdale: Unsung Hero: In this episode we will learn about the Canadian surgeon, Dr. Lucille Teasdale. Her tireless efforts on behalf of the Ugandan people were nothing short of heroic, but her story is not well known. It is a fascinating tale of dedication and bravery, and... by Legends of Surgery
14 min listen
Episode 44 - Dr. George Washington Crile and the Cleveland Clinic: In this episode, we'll cover the life of Dr. George Washington Crile, and American surgeon probably best known for the instruments that bear his name. We'll talk about his influential work on surgical shock, thyroid surgery and radical neck dissection... by Legends of Surgery
16 min listen
Episode 20 - Dr. Alexis Carrel: Flawed Genius: Today's episode covers the Nobel prize winning surgeon Dr. Alexis Carrel, considered by many to be one of the fathers of vascular surgery and transplantation. His innovations greatly influenced these fields, but his ideology and associations during... by Legends of Surgery
16 min listen
Episode 26 - Better know an instrument: the Foley catheter: In this episode, we take a look at a commonly used medical device, the Foley catheter, by exploring the long and fascinating history of its development, as well as learn more about the surgeon that it was named for, Dr. Frederic Foley. by Legends of Surgery
13 min listen
Episode 27 - Better know a procedure: the Graham patch: In this episode, we learn about the surgeon behind the common surgical procedure, the Graham patch. As well, we will here the story behind the discovery of the bacteria behind peptic ulcers, and meet a few other Nobel prize winners, as a prelude to... by Legends of Surgery
12 min listen
Episode 23 - The History of Laparoscopy, Part 2: The Modern Era: In part two of the series, we will pick up where we left off, at the dawn of the age of laparoscopy. This episode will introduce some of the innovators that pushed forward the technology and we'll learn about some of the obstacles that they had to... by Legends of Surgery
18 min listen
Episode 39 - Dr. Theodor Billroth: Father of Abdominal Surgery: In this episode, we will cover the life and work of Dr. Theodor Billroth, one of the great 19th century surgeons. He not only invented the famous Billroth gastric surgeries, but also was an innovator in surgical education and research. In addition, we... by Legends of Surgery
12 min listen
Episode 47 - Dominique Jean Larrey, the first modern military surgeon: In this episode, we'll cover the life of Baron Dominique Jean Larrey, the surgeon in chief to Napoleon's Grand Army. He created the "flying ambulance" to rapidly evacuate soldiers from the field of battle, and is credited with developing the concept... by Legends of Surgery
14 min listen
Episode 58 - The Story of the Appendix: In this episode, we will cover the history of the appendix, from its first description, to its (recently) described function and cover what happens when things go wrong. This includes the first recorded appendectomy, the first definitive description... by Legends of Surgery
21 min listen
Episode 35 - Dr. William Halsted: Father of American Modern Surgery: In this episode, we will follow the life story of Dr. William Halsted, from his origins in New York, to his drug addiction to cocaine and morphine, and his becoming one of the founding fathers of Johns Hopkins Medicine. We will cover not only his... by Legends of Surgery
24 min listen
Episode 28 - Nobel Prize Edition: In this episode, we learn the history of the Nobel prize, and meet the nine surgeons that have won the prestigious award, as well as describe their work. As well, we'll learn some interesting facts and stories behind the legends. by Legends of Surgery
22 min listen
Episode 32 - Blalock and the Blue Babies: In this episode, we will learn about the famous cardiac surgeon Dr. Alfred Blalock, and his famous work on blue babies suffering from Tetralogy of Fallot. But maybe of even greater interest is the story of his lab assistant, Vivien Thomas, a man... by Legends of Surgery
15 min listen
Episode 21 - Canada Day Edition: Dr. Norman Bethune: In honour of Canada Day, this episode takes on a Canadian national hero, Dr. Norman Bethune. But there is more to the story, as this mercurial and controversial surgeon became famous not only for his operating ability, but his politics and involvement... by Legends of Surgery
19 min listen
Episode 48 - Better know a procedure: the Nissen Fundoplication: In this episode, we'll cover the development of the anti-reflux surgery known as the Nissen fundoplication. But there's so much more! The life of Dr. Rudolf Nissen is a fascinating one, and we'll cover his story, including his involvement with one of... by Legends of Surgery
15 min listen
Episode 67 - The History of Lithotomy: Patients are often placed in the 'lithotomy' position. But where did this come from? We'll cover the history of the surgical procedure for bladder stones, known as lithotomy, which dates back from the earliest records of surgery right up to the... by Legends of Surgery
21 min listen
Episode 54 - Better know an instrument: the Surgical Stapler: This episode will cover the long history of the development of the surgical stapler, an instrument not often considered in surgical history. Our journey will take us from ancient Rome, to medieval Spain, Hungary, the Soviet Union and finally the US.... by Legends of Surgery
16 min listen
Episode 49 - Surgical Families: the Mayo Brothers: In this episode, we'll cover the story of Will and Charlie Mayo, the brothers that founded what is now known as the Mayo Clinic, a global leader in surgical health care. Their origins will be covered, including the natural disaster that led to the... by Legends of Surgery
14 min listen
Episode 36 - Groundhog Day Edition: In this episode, we'll cover the story of hypothermia in surgery, led by the surgeon Dr. Bill Bigelow. His experiments with animals, including groundhogs, trying to unlock the mysteries of hibernation, will also be covered. Finally, we'll learn the... by Legends of Surgery
18 min listen
Episode 56 - William Ladd:Father of Paediatric Surgery: In this episode, we'll cover the surgeon often referred to as the father of paediatric surgery, Dr. William Edwards Ladd. He has a famous connection to the Halifax Explosion, a tragic accident that occurred almost exactly 100 years ago. We'll explore... by Legends of Surgery
17 min listen
Episode 55 - Better know a procedure: the Whipple operation: In this episode, we will cover the pancreatic surgery commonly known as the Whipple procedure and learn about the life and works of Dr. Allen Oldfather Whipple, the first to successfully attempt the procedure as a single-step operation. As well, we'll... by Legends of Surgery
18 min listen

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Episode 113 - Better know an instrument: Potts Scissors: In this episode, we'll meet the person behind the eponymously named scissors, the American pediatric surgeon Willis J. Potts. We'll cover his contributions to the development of surgery specifically for children, and in particular the operations on... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 112 - The Ongoing History of Surgery: The World's First Whole Eye Transplant: In this episode, we will cover the recent story of (possibly) the world's first whole eye transplant that occured in May of 2023, as well as the story of a possible previous attempt in 1969, and the aftermath that followed. The show also has a new... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 111 - The Code of Hammurabi: In this episode, we will explore the history of a nearly 4 millenia old slab of rock which has inscribed on it some of the oldest recorded laws in history, including some that dictated payments for operations, and some severe punishments for... by Legends of Surgery
17 min listen
Episode 110 - The Loch Ness Monster and The Surgeon's Photo: In this episode, we will explore the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, as well as the surgeon behind a famous photograph of the beast, Robert Kenneth Wilson, a legend in his own right. And of course, we'll go on our usual tangents and side stories... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 109 - Was Jack the Ripper a surgeon?: In this episode, we will explore the question of the identity of the 19th century serial killer based in the London neighborhood of Whitechapel. Specifically, we will consider the evidence provided by some authors that the notorious killer was a... by Legends of Surgery
17 min listen
Episode 108 - The Michelangelo of Medicine: Frank Netter and the Atlas of Human Anatomy: In this episode, we will explore the famous 20th century medical illustrator Frank Netter and his magnum opus, the Atlas of Human Anatomy. While this work is his most famous, many people do not realize that Frank Netter was also a doctor, and... by Legends of Surgery
14 min listen
Episode 107 - "The Secret": In this episode, we will meet the Chamberlen family, French Huguenots and barber surgeons/male midwives that practiced in England in the 16th and 17th centuries CE. They had a special instrument that could safely deliver babies in cases of... by Legends of Surgery
12 min listen
Episode 105 - Better know an instrument: the Yankauer suction tip: In this episode, we will cover Dr. Sidney Yankauer, a leader in the development of ENT as a surgical specialty, including the creation of his eponymously named instrument, as well as triumphs and tragedies over the course of his life. by Legends of Surgery
8 min listen
Episode 104 - Lamb's Blood, Monkey 'Glands', Pig Kidneys, and More: A Brief History of Xenotransplantation: In this episode, we will trace the history of attempts at transplanting cells, tissues, and organs from animals into humans. From world-famous surgeons to medical charlatans, all manner of people have tried, and all inevitably failed. However, with... by Legends of Surgery
27 min listen
Episode 103 - The Story of the Spleen: In this episode, we return to a previous series, looking at the history of different organs in the body. The history of our understanding of the spleen, including its function, will be covered, as well as the development of surgery on the spleen. And... by Legends of Surgery
22 min listen
Bonus Episode - The Curious Case of Scarpa's Head: In this bonus suture tale episode, we cover the life and works of the famous Italian surgeon and anatomist Antonio Scarpa. While many are familiar with him from the eponymously named fascia, his contributions to the science of medicine extend well... by Legends of Surgery
18 min listen
Episode 102 - Hua T'o and Surgery in Ancient China: In this episode, we cover the legendary figure of Hua T'o, the best known (and one of the few) surgeons from Ancient China, as well as the state of surgical treatments at the time. The tale of his most famous operation, on the General Guan Yu, is also... by Legends of Surgery
24 min listen
Episode 101 - Galen, Part 2: His Works: In this episode, we'll take a look at some of the contributions he made in surgery and anatomy, as well as some of the errors of his that were repeated for centuries before being disproven. We'll also have a look at the history of the first known... by Legends of Surgery
41 min listen
Episode 100 - Galen, Part 1: The Story of his Life: In the 100th episode of Legends of Surgery, we will explore the life of one of medicine and surgery's greatest influences: the Greek physician from Ancient Rome, Claudius Galen. The events of his life will be covered, as well as some of the amazing... by Legends of Surgery
35 min listen
Episode 99 - The History of Transgender Reassignment Surgery: In this episode, we'll cover the history of transgender medicine, with a focus on the development of the main surgical procedures in gender reassignment surgery, including vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, and metoidioplasty. A number of trailblazing... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 98 - A Knot of Suture Tales: In this episode, we're going to do something a bit different. I've taken a number of shorter but very interesting topics, either that I've come across on my own or have been suggested by listeners, and turned 5 of them into this episode. There's a... by Legends of Surgery
38 min listen
Episode 97 - The History of Blood Transfusions: In this episode, we explore the origins of our understanding of blood and its function, going all the way back to ancient Greece and Rome. We'll discuss the humeral system championed by Galen, and how these concepts were finally corrected with the... by Legends of Surgery
33 min listen
Episode 96 - The History of the Esophagectomy: This episode was written by a guest contributor, Harvard student Simar Bajaj. In it, we cover some of the anatomy and function of the esophagus, before tracing the history of the earliest attempts at operating on the esophagus (in ancient Egypt!) up... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 94 - Guy de Chauliac and the Black Death: The subject for this episode, written and narrated by Dr. David Sigmon, is the great medieval surgeon Guy de Chauliac. His life and works are covered, including the 'Chirurgia Magna', or 'Great Writings on Surgery', but the main focus is his role in... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 93 - The Story of the Mitral Valve: This episode was written by a guest contributor, Simar Bajaj, a student of the History of Science at Harvard University. In it, we cover the story of the mitral valve, from its earliest descriptions, to the discovery of its function and pathology, and... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 92 - A Cool Tale about Induced Hypothermia: This episode was written by a guest contributor, Dr. David Warmflash, and covers the history of the use of induced hypothermia in surgery, from its earliest days in Ancient Egypt, through Napoleon-era France, and to the early days of cardiac surgery!... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 91 - Guillaume Dupuytren: The Brigand of the Hotel Dieu: In this episode, we'll cover the brilliant but difficult character of Guillaume Dupuytren, and of course the disease which bears his name. In addition to his life, we'll take a deep dive into the history of Dupuytren's disease, also known as the... by Legends of Surgery
37 min listen
Episode 90 - Alexander Thomas Augusta, a story of courage: In this episode, host Dr. David Sigmon tells the inspirational true story of Dr. Alexander Thomas Augusta, the first African American surgeon in the Northern Army during the American Civil War, the first African American professor of medicine in the... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 89 - Neurosurgeon Dr. Walter Dandy: In this episode, we cover the contributions to neurosurgery by Dr. Walter Dandy, including an in depth look at the ventricular system of the brain. We'll also discuss missing skulls, Roman aqueducts, and the origin of the baseball helmet, and much more! by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 88 - The History of the Parathyroid Gland: In this episode, we will trace the history of the parathyroid gland, from its identification, to the determination of its function, the understanding of hyperparathyroidism, and of course, the surgical removal of abnormal glands! Along the way we'll... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 87 - Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, Part 2: Feud and Reconciliation: In this 2nd part of a 2-part series on the world-famous cardiac surgeons Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, we cover their life's work, their feud, and eventual reconciliation. In addition, the history of artificial hearts is covered, as well as other topics,... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 85 - Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, Part 1: Origin stories: In this episode, we cover the early lives and career beginnings of the famous cardiovascular surgeons Drs. Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, up to their joining Baylor University College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Of course, we will take a number... by Legends of Surgery
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Episode 106 - From toxin to cure: The story of Botox

Episode 106 - From toxin to cure: The story of Botox

Description

Titles in the series (99)

More Episodes from Legends of Surgery

Related podcast episodes