Wilhelm Fabricius von Hilden (1560-1634): The Pioneer of German Surgery.

Wilhelm Fabricius von Hilden (1560-1634) or also known with his Latinized name Guilielmus Fabricius Hildanus is considered the founder of scientific German surgery. He introduced new surgical techniques and invented new surgical instruments for the surgical treatment of nasal polyps, stone bladder, breast and ocular cancer, hydrocele, and ascites, while very ingenious were his amputation techniques. His most important surgical treatise was Observationem et curationem chirurgicam centuriae sex ( Six Hundred Surgical Observations and Treatments) first published in 1606.