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Surgeons and Surgery from Ancient Persia (5,000 Years of Surgical History)

World Journal of Surgery volume 37, pages 2002–2004 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

The development of surgery is indebted to scientists and surgeons from various civilizations throughout history. The present study considers surgery in the ancient Persian civilization. It highlights aspects of the subject, such as findings of the first trephinated skulls in Iran; surgeons’ social class (kareto baēšaza in the Avestan language—dating back 3,000 years); surgical operations such as cesarean section and procedures to treat breast cancer; and the use of anesthetic compounds and surgical practice in the military. It is hoped that this catalogue of historical evidence of surgical practice in ancient Persian civilization will contribute to the history of surgery, as an important field in medical science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Student Research Committee, Research Office for the History of Persian Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, North Ghaani Street, Shiraz, 7139748479, Iran

    Arman Zargaran & Afsoon Fazelzadeh

  2. Department of Traditional Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Arman Zargaran & Abdolali Mohagheghzadeh

  3. Department of Surgery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Afsoon Fazelzadeh

Authors
  1. Arman Zargaran
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  2. Afsoon Fazelzadeh
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  3. Abdolali Mohagheghzadeh
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Correspondence to Arman Zargaran.

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Zargaran, A., Fazelzadeh, A. & Mohagheghzadeh, A. Surgeons and Surgery from Ancient Persia (5,000 Years of Surgical History). World J Surg 37, 2002–2004 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2055-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2055-0

Keywords

  • Opium Poppy
  • Ancient Civilization
  • Ancient Text
  • Euphrates River
  • Wounded Soldier