5th Yahya Cohen Lecture: angiosomes and extension of skin flaps--anatomic study and clinical implications.

* Senior Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Head ** Senior Registrar Department of Plastic Surgery Singapore General Hospital Address for Reprints: Dr Tan Kok Chai, Department of Plastic Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, 1 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169608. Master of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore; Mr Chairman; Chairman, Chapter of Surgeons; Ladies and Gentlemen: I would like to express my gratitude to the Chapter of Surgeons and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore for the honour of presenting this 5th Yahya Cohen Lecture. This lecture was inaugurated in November 1996 to honour one of our founder members of the Academy Medicine, Singapore: Dr Yahya Cohen. He was born 80 years ago in Singapore, of Jewish parentage, and graduated from King Edward VII College of Medicine in 1938 with distinctions in medical jurisprudence, surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology. He continued his postgraduate medical studies on a Queens’ scholarship in England and received further training in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery in Edinburgh and Oxford. He also received his Fellowship of the Royal College of England. During his long and illustrious career, Dr Cohen is one of the founding members of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore and was its first scribe in 1957. He was founder chairperson of the Chapter of Surgeons in 1966. When he retired in 1972, he was a Clinical Professor and Head of the Government Surgical Unit. Although I have not had the privilege to work for him, he was remembered by his colleagues and trainees as a firm disciplinarian particularly to maintain high standards in surgical practice. Surgeons considered to have been fortunate to train under him include Dr V K Pillay and Professor S S Ratnam. His conscientious care of patients and meticulous skills were renowned during his time. Dr J E Choo and Dr Rajmohan Nambiar who succeeded him to head the Government Surgical Unit perpetuated his traditions. His students often repeated his teaching skills and quotes. “Surgery is not about operating. It is being able to look at a patient and make a correct diagnosis. In fact, a good surgeons will not go rushing in with a knife – he would see how much can be done to help him without cutting him up”. “The patient is the drawing board of the surgeon, students you should not just look at the pictures in the books, you should look at the patient. It is not the textbook you rely on, the patient is the reality. It is your patient that is depending on you who else is there that is important”. Dr Cohen, whose surgical career spans 40 years, is one of the founding members of the surgical fraternity. His love of medicine and teaching of students and young doctors has become legendary. The gold medal for the best clinical student in the Master of Medicine (Surgery) has been named in his honour. In 1993, the Singapore Association of Plastic Surgeons accorded him an honorary membership reserved for renowned international plastic surgeons. This was to recognise his training and interests of this surgical practice, which included cleft deformities and treatment of cutaneous diseases. The Academy of Medicine, Singapore and the surgical fraternity of Singapore are proud to honour one of our own with this named lecture.