Andrzej Modrzejewski

Andrzej Modrzejewski (surgeon)

Andrzej Tadeusz Modrzejewski (28 October 1957 in Szczecin) – Polish professor of medical science, specialising in general surgery, vascular surgery, angiology; pioneer of laparoscopic surgery

Andrzej Modrzejewski studied medicine at the Pomeranian Medical University (PMU) in Szczecin and received his medical degree with honours in 1982. He was employed at PMU in the Third Clinic of General Surgery, followed by winning a three-year doctoral scholarship from the Humboldt Foundation in a nationwide competition. In 1989 he received a PhD from the Humboldt University in Berlin, submitting his dissertation Experimentelle Eutersuchungen mit Cyclosporin A in German.

In early 1990s he began performing reconstructive vascular surgeries, which he continues to do so to this day. He was one of the first surgeons in Poland to organise an operating theatre and acquire equipment to carry out laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy.

Professor Andrzej Modrzejewski is the undisputed pioneer of the laparoscopic method in surgery. To date, he has performed over 10,000 laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgeries, setting a world record. Despite undertaking some very difficult and risky procedures of this type, he has unblemished record of never damaging bile ducts, which makes him stand out from other surgeons.

Professor Andrzej Modrzejewski has published over 120 scientific papers, including the first monograph on laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Poland, and has presented 100 papers at scientific conferences and symposia. He co-authored the patent "A tool for extracting organs from the abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgeries". His hobby is hunting.