This historical vignette celebrates the first total removal of the larynx in humans, performed by Theodor Billroth 150 years ago and stresses the importance of the prior experimental study of laryngeal ablation performed in dogs by Vincent Czerny. A part of the original article, written by his assistant Carl Gussenbauer, is reproduced, to help readers immerse themselves in this operation which opened up new perspectives in the treatment of laryngeal cancer.
Keywords: Billroth; Czerny; History; Laryngectomy.
Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.