Champ Lyons,Holt McDowell,and the Evolution of Vascular Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham: A Personal Perspective

Abstract

The history of medical centers, hospitals, clinics, and their evolution are important contributions and resources to medical history. Likewise, evolution of specialties within these healthcare centers frequently parallels their growth and development. This contribution depicts the evolution of a specialty, vascular surgery, within a major medical center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It recounts the major participants involved and their contributions and pioneering efforts, some of which have received little attention or were overshadowed by other events. Perspectives from participants—a patient and a trainee—provide insight into this process that has supported the growth and development of a major world-class medical center.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Dalton

M.L.

Champ Lyons: An incomplete life.

Ann Surg 2003; 237: 694–703.

Dalton

M.L.

Champ Lyons: Surgeon. Macon, GA: Aequanimitas Medical Books; 2003: 16–7, 39, 43, 48, 50, 52, 70, 134.

Holley

H.L.

A History of Medicine in Alabama. University, AL: University of Alabama Press; 1982: 161–2.

Trotter

M.C.

Champ Lyons, M.D. the Ochsner years: 1945– 1950.

The Ochsner Journal 2009; 9: 163–7.

About ABS. The American Board of Surgery web site. Available at: www.absurg.org. Accessed August 11, 2009.

Lyons

Problems of infection and chemotherapy.

Ann Surg 1943; 117: 894–902.

Lyons

An investigation of the role of chemotherapy in wound management in the Mediterranean theater.

Ann Surg 1946; 123: 902–23.

Dalton

M.L.

The friendship and letters of Alfred Blalock and Tinsley Harrison.

Am Surg 2007; 73: 324.

Edwards

W.S.

, Tapp

J.S.

Chemically treated nylon tubes as arterial grafts.

Surgery 1955; 38: 61–70, 89–91.

10.

Mitka

Michael E. DeBakey, M.D. father of modern cardiovascular surgery.

JAMA 2005; 293: 913–8.

11.

Hoyer

C.O.

Choice of plant sites.

Ind Eng Chem 1952; 44: 2133–7.

12.

Blakemore

A.H.

, Voorhees

A.B.

Use of tubes constructed from vinyon ‘n’ cloth in bridging arterial defects: experimental and clinical.

Ann Surg 1954; 140: 324–34.

13.

Edwards

W.S.

Arterial grafts: past, present, and future.

Arch Surg 1978; 113: 1225–33.

14.

United States Patent Office. Flexible Nylon Tube and Method for Preparing Same. Index of patents issued from the U.S. Patent Office, Vol. 958. Washington, DC: The Office; 1958: 846.

15.

Edwards

W.S.

, Tapp

J.S.

Peripheral artery replacement with chemically treated nylon tubes.

SG&O 1956; 102: 443–9.

16.

History. The American Board of Thoracic Surgery web site. Available at: www.abts.org. Accessed August 11, 2009.

17.

Lyons

, Galbraith

J.G.

Surgical treatment of internal carotid occlusion.

J Med Assoc State Ala 1957; 27: 1–4.

18.

Lyons

, Galbraith

Surgical treatment of atherosclerotic occlusion of the internal carotid artery.

Ann Surg 1957; 146: 487–98.

19.

Edwards

W.S.

Plastic Arterial Grafts. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publishers; 1957: 21–34.

20.

Lyons

, Galbraith

J.G.

Surgical treatment of internal carotid artery occlusion.

Geriatrics 1958; 13: 1–6.

21.

Lyons

, Edwards

W.S.

Experiences with aortic dissecting aneurysms.

Am Surg 1957; 23: 520–8.

22.

Dillard

R.A.

, Lyons

, Salter

P.P.

Thrombosis of the vena cava to the level of the renal veins with recovery.

Am Surg 1957; 23: 539–42.

23.

Edwards

W.S.

, Lyons

Three years’ experience with peripheral arterial grafts of crimped nylon and Teflon.

SG&O 1958; 107: 62–8.

24.

Buckner

, Lyons

, Perkins

Management of lacerations of the great vessels of the upper thorax and base of the neck.

SG&O 1958; 107: 135–42.

25.

Edwards

W.S.

, Lyons

Problems in surgery of occlusive disease of the aorta and iliac arteries.

Ann Surg 1959; 149: 675–82.

26.

Caldwell

G.M.

Early History of the Ochsner Medical Center. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publishers; 1965: 28.

27.

Patton

T.B.

, Johnston

C.C.

, Lyons

, Jordan

Lateral portacaval anastomosis for portal hypertension.

Am J Gastroenterol 1959; 32: 291–310.

28.

Lyons

, Ronderos

Angio-aortography.

J Med Assoc State Ala 1961; 30: 413–6.

29.

Lyons

, Simpson

W.F.

An outline of management of dissecting aneurysms of the aorta.

J Med Assoc State Ala 1961; 30: 469–71.

30.

Wilds

Ochsner's: An Informal History of the South's Largest Private Medical Center. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press; 1985: 19.

31.

Lyons

, Clark

L.C.

, McDowell

, McArthur

Cerebral venous oxygen content during carotid thrombintimectomy.

Ann Surg 1964; 160: 561–7.

32.

Dalton

D.H.

, McDowell

H.A.

, Lyons

Through the Knee guillotine amputation.

Ann Surg 1965; 161: 614–6.

33.

Lyons

, McDowell

H.A.

Obstruction of the cerebral arteries: method of Champ Lyons and Holt McDowell, Jr. In: Conn

H.F.

, ed. Current Therapy. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co.; 1965: 523–5.

34.

Lyons

Some surgical aspects of the stroke problem.

Ala J Med Sci 1965; 2: 119–26.

35.

Harrison

T.R.

The effect of Champ Lyons on medical education in Alabama.

J Med Assoc State Ala 1966; 35: 602–9.

36.

Edwards

W.S.

W. Sterling Edwards Oral History. Rocky Mountain Online Archive. New Mexico Health Historical Collection, University of New Mexico, June 26, 2006. Available at: http://rmoa.unm.edu/. Accessed September 28, 2010.

37.

Official Program, Forty Ninth Annual Meeting, Society for Vascular Surgery, New Orleans, LA. 1995: 2.

38.

Official Program, 43rd Scientific Meeting, the International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery, North American Chapter. New Orleans, LA. 1995: 2.

39.

Barker

W.F.

The Western Vascular Society: its first ten years.

JVS 1995; 22: 505–6.

40.

History. View Past Sheriffs. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office web site. Available at: www.jeffcosheriff.org. Accessed July 29, 2009.

41.

Official Program, Alabama Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Thirty Second Annual Meeting. Point Clear, AL. 1984: 5.

42.

Landro

Patients get power of fast response.

The Wall Street Journal. Sept. 1, 2009. Section D, p. 2, col. 2–6.

43.

Griffen

W.O.

, Ritchie

W.P.

, Lewis

F.R.

Reflections on Claude H. Organ, Jr., M.D., from the American Board of Surgery.

Arch Surg 2005; 140: 1045–7.