History of the Section for Surgical Research

In 1971, shortly after becoming Chairman of Surgery, Julius Kraft-Kinz established the Division of Experimental Surgery. Since the 1960s, there had been a small two-room unit for experimental surgery devoted to heart and vascular surgery where work was done that laid the foundation for the first open-heart operations on humans in Austria.

Under the first head of the new division, Leo Kronberger, Deputy Chief of Surgery, the department was enlarged and suitably equipped. The innovations in the University Department of Surgery in Graz with its new division system and provision for experimental surgery were much admired throughout Austria and internationally.

When Leo Kronberger retired in 1992, he was followed by Peter Steindorfer, who changed the name to Section for Surgical Research. Steindorfer left the university after three years and was followed in 1996 by Selman Uranues, who since then has directed the Section for Surgical Research.

Today, the Section for Surgical Research occupies more than 400 m² of space in the basement of the Department of Surgery, with two operating theaters and rooms for sterilization, preparation and research activities. It is a joint facility, headed by a professor who reports to the Chair of Surgery in administrative matters.

In accordance with the University Organizational Law, the section offers courses and continuing professional education for students, physicians and nursing personnel as well as workshops and national and international conferences on minimally invasive surgery and traumatology.

The section’s research projects tend to be clinically oriented and in some cases where there is no alternative, may use animals. In recent years, the main research emphasis has been on new methods in vascular, abdominal and laparoscopic surgery, traumatology, and inflammation studies involving oxygen radicals and enzyme reactions.

The Section for Surgical Research is in close contact with other research centers all over the world and takes part in international studies. Accordingly, there are usually several researchers from other departments and international guests working at the section on special projects.