Gustav Simon (physician)

Gustav Simon (August 9, 1824 – August 21, 1876) was a German surgeon and urologist. He is considered one of the founders of modern urology.

Simon was born in Darmstadt. He studied medicine at the universities of Giessen, Heidelberg, and Paris, receiving his doctorate in 1846 from the University of Giessen. He became a professor of surgery at the University of Rostock in 1850. In 1861, he moved to the University of Heidelberg, where he established a surgical clinic.

Simon is best known for his pioneering work in kidney surgery. In 1869, he performed the first successful planned nephrectomy (surgical removal of a kidney) on a human, after experimenting on animals. He established protocols for determining which kidney could be safely removed. He also developed techniques for treating vesicovaginal fistulas (abnormal connections between the bladder and vagina).

His other contributions include advancements in plastic surgery and surgical treatment of bone diseases. He wrote extensively on surgical topics. Some of his significant publications include "Mittheilungen aus der chirurgischen Klinik zu Rostock" (1859) and "Die Exstirpation der Nieren durch den Lendensteinschnitt" (1870). He died in Heidelberg.