The Influence of Vesalius’ Fabrica on Surgery in the 16th & 17th century.

The innovation in anatomy, brought about by Andreas Vesalius1, particularly by means of his Fabrica, has had an important influence on the practice of surgery2. Various surgeons of the 16th and the 17th century have implemented different approaches in operative techniques, based on the anatomical knowledge drawn upon the Fabrica. Examples are given in this paper concerning Pierre Franco, Ambroise Paré, Giovanni Andrea della Croce, Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente, Wilhelm Fabry von Hilden and Paul Barbette, who all, in one way or another, have proposed surgical techniques that required precise anatomical understanding, which was provided by the new Vesalian anatomy of the human body. The concept, adopted by many medico-historical scholars, that the anatomy of Vesalius had only limited repercussions on Modern Surgery, therefore needs reconsideration.