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Professor M. Gazi Yaşargil, M.D.
UAMS Mourns Death of Famed Neurosurgeon M. Gazi Yaşargil, M.D.
‘Father of Modern Microneurosurgery’ Remembered as Teacher, Colleague, Friend
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) was saddened to learn of the June 11 death of M. Gazi Yaşargil, M.D., an internationally renowned pioneer in neurosurgery who is often referred to as the “Father of Modern Microneurosurgery.”
Yaşargil was named “Man of the Century 1950-1999” by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons for his groundbreaking contributions that significantly shaped the field of neurosurgery, particularly in vascular and brain surgery. He joined UAMS in 1994 and was advanced to professor emeritus status in 2013. His wife, Dianne Yaşargil, is a former UAMS researcher and nurse who developed a system for organizing surgical instruments and founded the European Association of Neuroscience Nurses.
T. Glenn Pait, M.D., listens to the speakers at the 2025 M. Gazi and Dianne C.H. Yaşargil Distinguished Lectureship.
“Professor Yaşargil was already a legend when he moved to Arkansas. During his 20 years in the Department of Neurosurgery, he became something even more meaningful to us — a teacher, a colleague and a dear friend,” said T. Glenn Pait, M.D., director of the UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute. “He brought with him not only his own unparalleled surgical expertise, which revolutionized the practice of microneurosurgery around the world, but also a spirit of curiosity and compassion that touched every student, resident and physician fortunate enough to learn from him.
“The years at UAMS were a continuation of a remarkable journey — a career that had already transformed the treatment of vascular and complex brain disorders. Professor approached every lecture, every lab, every patient with the same intensity and reverence that defined his life work.
“We will always remember his steady hands, his exacting standards, his deep humanity and the twinkle in his eyes and the raising of his eyebrows when discussing a case or sharing a story.”
Each year, the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery and the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute present the M. Gazi and Dianne C.H. Yaşargil Distinguished Lectureship. This year’s event, held in February, included four presentations and a panel discussion, in honor of the beloved professor’s upcoming 100th birthday in July.
Yaşargil addressed the crowd through a prerecorded video from his home in Switzerland, telling attendees about when he discovered he wanted to be a neurosurgeon. The two-day lectureship also saw Yaşargil’s former patients and students discussing the impact the professor had on their lives. Danny Nutt, the former Arkansas Razorback running back coach, thanked Yaşargil for saving his life from a brain hemorrhage in 2007.
Pait revealed in February that the Department of Neurosurgery is establishing an endowed chair in neurosurgery dedicated to Yaşargil. “The Yaşargil Chair will serve as the beacon for innovation, education and patient care, ensuring that their pioneering work continues to shape the next generation of neurosurgeons in Arkansas, the nation and worldwide,” he said.
On Wednesday, Pait said he enjoyed remembering the quiet, joyful moments Yaşargil spent in Arkansas, noting that the professor delighted in picking apples and peaches and visiting the pumpkin patch in autumn.
“I will remember him not only as a titan in neurosurgery but also as a man who found joy in orchards, his back porch overlooking the Arkansas River, and greeting old and new friends,” Pait said. “His legacy lives on — not only in the operating theater, but in every quiet moment he shared with those who were lucky enough to know him.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,485 students, 915 medical residents and fellows, and seven dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###