Revolution in surgical anatomy during the 16th century: the neglected encounters between Andreas Vesalius and Ambroise Paré.

Abstract

A new era of medicine and surgery began in the mid-16th century, driven by upheavals in religion, art, and science as well as advancements in printing. Two notable contributions were the clinical applications of Andreas Vesalius's anatomy and the surgical innovations of Ambroise Paré. Vesalius and Paré were contemporaries, overlapping in their education, anatomic interests, military experience, professional stature, and visionary use of anatomical illustrations. Nevertheless, their personal intersections, mutual adventures, and conjoint contributions have not been adequately described. During the mid-1530s, Vesalius and Paré performed dissections at the Paris Faculty of Medicine under Jacobus Sylvius. At the battle of Metz in 1552, the two served opposing armies, Vesalius with Charles V and Paré with Francis I. After Paré surrendered to Spanish forces at Hesin in 1553, Vesalius, then a surgeon to the Spanish emperor, bade Paré demonstrate his surgical techniques. Vesalius also attempted to convince Paré to change sides, but he demurred. In 1559, Henry II of France was mortally injured while jousting. Paré, the royal surgeon, took charge, but Vesalius was also summoned from Brussels, and both were engaged in Henry's management. Later, Vesalius permitted Paré to reproduce his illustrations in Paré's 1561 Anatomie Universelle and 1575 Oeuvres. Paré's Oeuvres, reprinted through the mid-1800s, perpetuated Vesalian images and helped ensure their ongoing survival. Although Vesalius's Fabrica and Paré's Oeuvres were at the forefront of medical science, both men faced years of criticism, likely stemming from their challenges to established norms of practice and the jealousy of their peers.