Professor Gazi Yasargil, the Turkish-born neurosurgeon whose groundbreaking innovations redefined brain surgery and earned him the title ‘Neurosurgeon of the Century’, has died at the age of 99. 

His death was confirmed by Turkish health minister Kemal Memisoglu, who praised Yasargil as “a towering figure in the medical world” and pledged to preserve his legacy.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Professor Gazi Yasargil, who was named the 'Neurosurgeon of the Century' for his unparalleled contributions to the field,” Memisoglu wrote on social media. 

“Throughout a life spanning nearly a century, he devoted himself to science and accomplished countless achievements that serve as an inspiration to us all. We will do everything in our power to honour his legacy. May he rest in paradise and be granted the highest station in the life hereafter.”

A transformative figure in 20th-century medicine, Yasargil is best known for developing microsurgical techniques and instruments that revolutionised the treatment of conditions such as aneurysms, brain tumours, and epilepsy. His invention of the now-ubiquitous ‘Yasargil clip’, used to treat cerebral aneurysms, has become a standard tool in neurosurgical operating rooms across the globe. 

His approach to treating brain disorders helped establish microneurosurgery as a core discipline in modern medicine.

Born in Lice in Diyarbakir, Türkiye, in 1925, Yasargil completed his early education in Ankara before enrolling at Ankara University’s Faculty of Medicine. 

Amid the upheaval of World War II, he relocated to Germany and then to the University of Basel in Switzerland, where he received his medical degree in 1950.

He began his medical career in psychiatry at the University of Bern but soon transitioned to neurosurgery — a field in which he would leave an indelible mark. 

He joined the University Hospital in Zurich in 1957, becoming an assistant professor in 1965. That same year, he began a research partnership at the University of Vermont with Professor Peardon Donaghy, where he advanced microvascular surgery into a new frontier.

Over the following decades, Yasargil trained generations of neurosurgeons, many of whom became leaders in the field. 

He led the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Zurich until his retirement in 1999. 

That same year, his global impact was honoured at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, where he was officially named the ‘Neurosurgeon of the Century’.

Blend of precision, humility, and compassion

Yasargil’s influence extended beyond innovation. For patients and colleagues alike, Yasargil embodied a rare blend of precision, humility, and compassion. 

Among those who experienced his humanity first-hand was Fatima Betul Basturk, a Turkish dental surgeon, who was once his patient.

“In 2016, I went in for an MRI after suffering from severe headaches. It revealed a mass in my brain,” she told TRT World. “That moment marked the beginning of a deeply emotional journey. I began consulting with various specialists, one of whom was Professor Ugur Ture — a student of the late Professor Yasargil.”

She recounted visiting Ture accompanied by her sister, both of them healthcare professionals. When Ture learned of their backgrounds, he carefully explained the risks and benefits of surgery in technical detail. But it was Yasargil who intervened when he sensed her anxiety.

“Just as Professor Ture was describing the complications that could arise during surgery, I must have looked startled — maybe even scared,” she said. “At that moment, Gazi Hoca stood up, waved his hands and said, ‘Don’t scare the children!’”

What followed, she described, was emblematic of the man revered not only for his intellect but for his gentle reassurance. He picked up a brain model, sat down on a coffee table in front of her, and began explaining with disarming clarity.

“‘Look,’ he said, ‘your problem is here, it stretches from this part to that. We have tools that go in — tip tip tip — and clean this out. There’s nothing to worry about.’”

He then pulled a book from a nearby shelf, flipped to a section documenting Ture’s surgical record with similar cases, and showed it to her. “‘Look,’ he said, ‘these many surgeries have been performed. Not a single fatality. You’ll be fine. Yours is a very treatable case.’”

“For anyone diagnosed with a brain tumour, fear and dread come flooding in. But Gazi Hoca lifted that burden off me. He gave me peace, and I went into the operation calm and assured. That comfort he gave me — it’s worth more than words can say,” she reflected. Hoca is a respectful Turkish term students use while referring to professors.

“Even after the operation, he never left my side. He attended every follow-up with Professor Ture, sat in the same chair beside him, legs crossed, notebook in hand, quietly taking notes.”

A calming presence 

To his patients, Yasargil was more than a surgeon. He was a calming presence in the most frightening of times. To his students, he was a meticulous mentor. To the world, he was a scientist who fundamentally reshaped our understanding of what the human brain — and human hands — could achieve.

As news of his death reverberates across the medical community, tributes continue to pour in from around the world. 

A previously planned event was Yasargil’s 100th birthday celebration in July by the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Zurich, together with the World Academy of Neurological Surgery. The organisers looked forward to hosting the Yasargil 100th Anniversary Symposium — a tribute to Yasargil’s extraordinary legacy and unmatched contributions to the field of neurosurgery.

But for those who sat across from him in quiet consultation, watched him carefully dismantle a brain model, or listened to his confident assurance — his legacy is deeply personal.

“May God have mercy on his soul,” said Basturk. “He holds a very, very special place in my heart.”