Dr. Leonid Rogozov, a Soviet general practitioner and Surgeon was born on May 14, 1934, Dauriya Russia. Rogozov took part in the sixth Soviet Antarctic Expedition, 1960-1961.
He was the only medical doctor stationed at the Novolazarevskaya research station. While there, he developed appendicitis, with no other medical practitioner around, meant he had to perform an appendectomy on himself.
The only strongest anesthetic available for him to use was lidocaine (a local anesthetics), this makes the situation even more remarkable, because anything stronger would have impaired his ability to perform the surgery.
The operation started at about 02:00 local time April 30, 1961 with the assistance of a driver and meteorologist, who helped him with the instruments and held a mirror so that Rogozov could see areas not directly visible.
Dr. Rogozov successfully removed the appendix under the local anesthesia. This profound feat of self-surgery has become a heroic tale in the records of medical history.
Rogozov died on September 21, 2000 from lung cancer in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
